Method for smoke-infusing cheese

ABSTRACT

A method of smoke-infusing proteinaceous foods comprises the following sequential steps: a) enclosing the proteinaceous foods in a vacuum-treating zone; b) introducing smoke directly or indirectly from a smoke generation zone into the vacuum-treating zone; c) subjecting the proteinaceous foods to vacuum purging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone, thereby infusing smoke into the proteinaceous foods; d) repeating the steps of introducing smoke directly or indirectly from the smoke generation zone into the vacuum-treating zone; subjecting the proteinaceous foods to vacuum purging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone at least fifty times in pulsed sequences of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage for the efficient infusion of smoke into the proteinaceous foods; and e) a post-chill resting cycle of the smoke-infused proteinaceous foods at a suitable temperature and for a suitable period of time.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Divisional Application of U.S. Pat. No. 8,574,652, filed Feb.15, 2011, which was filed under 35 U.S.C. 371 as a national stage ofPCT/CA2010/000222, with the filing date of Feb. 18, 2010, the PCTApplication claiming priority from Canadian Patent Application Number2,655,426, filed Feb. 18, 2009, the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the field of smoke-infusing proteinaceousfoods, e.g., cheeses, crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks,fish, meats and poultry and to the smoked-infused such proteinaceousfoods so-obtained.

BACKGROUND

The preservation of the above-identified proteinaceous foods, e.g.,cheeses, crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meatsand poultry has been a major concern for humanity, and the following isa summary of the problems which have been encountered in thepreservation of the above-identified proteinaceous foods.

Dating back thousands of years, before the invention of refrigeration,freezing and canning processes, various proteinaceous foods, e.g.,cheeses, crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meatsand poultry, were cured by natural smoke. Historically, suchproteinaceous foods have been smoked at atmospheric pressures andvarying temperature ranges over long periods of time.

Smoke curing is typically done in one of two ways: namely cold-smoking;and hot smoking. The cold smoking method particularly where theproteinaceous foods products are cheeses can take up to one monthdepending on the cheese variety. The cold smoking process smokesproteinaceous food materials, e.g. cheese at between 4° C. to 28° C. Thecold smoking method is a less stringent method and will assist inkeeping proteinaceous food materials, e.g. cheese moist and acceptable.

Hot smoke can partially or completely cook, dry, and dehydratefoodstuffs and thus is not deemed to be suitable for cheeses and someother foods, by treating them at temperatures ranging from about 60° C.to about 75° C. Obviously, this should not apply to certain foodcategories, e.g. cheeses. Components of the smoke emitted from varioustypes of fuel will enhance the taste and preserve the color of the food.However, it was found that smoking and cooking crustaceans, meat andpoultry under pressure imparted more smoke flavor thereto tended tocause the crustaceans, meat and poultry to retain additional moisture,and caused the crustaceans, meat and poultry to be more tender ascompared to meat smoked at atmospheric pressure.

Thus, with respect to cold-smoking and hot smoking, the combinations andvariations in temperature from about 4° C. to about 70° C., fuel types,humidity, circulation and exposure times are great.

Historically such proteinaceous foods have been smoked at atmosphericpressures and varying temperature ranges over relatively long periods oftime. It was later found that the time required to smoke suchproteinaceous foods adequately could be reduced if the smoking methodcould be performed under pressure. It was also found that smoking suchproteinaceous foods under pressure imparted more smoke flavor to thefood and tended to cause such proteinaceous foods to retain additionalmoisture. It was then later found that the time required to smoke suchproteinaceous foods adequately could be reduced if the smoking andcooking processes could be performed in combination and under pressure.

Natural smoke can preserve the nutritional components and wholesomenessof dairy products while at the same time retarding spoilage. Smokedcheese, such as smoked cheddar cheese, smoked ham and smoked turkeybreast are some examples of popular foods treated by smoke.

Another method of “curing” used in less expensive cheeses is to useliquid smoke flavoring to give the cheese the outside appearance ofhaving been smoked in the more traditional manner.

Smoked cheese is any cheese that has been specifically treated by smokecuring. It typically has a yellowish-brown outer “coating”, which is aresult of this curing process. Furthermore, a common factor of the knownsmoking processes is that the total smoking time for cheese, smoked bymethod of liquid smoke, is comparatively long.

In the examples given above, the result has been a smoke-flavored food.Thus, the known processes are not completely satisfactory as regards theuniformity, the color quality and color stability and occasionally asregards their taste especially for cheeses. In many smoking methods,where separate heating surfaces are arranged in the path of thecirculated treating medium (generally predominantly air), these aresusceptible to contamination, wear and tear and faults.

In the field of processing of hard and soft shelled crustaceans, e.g.,lobsters or crabs or shrimp, the processors have for many years usedpost-harvest stabilization as fresh chilled or frozen distributionmethods. More typically, the processors subjected such lobsters or crabsor shrimp to methods of cooking then freezing whole and typically asfrozen-in-brine packaging (e.g. known popularly in lobster processing as“popsicle pack”) or by separating the cooked meat of such lobsters orcrabs or shrimp from the shell and marketing such meat of such lobstersor crabs or shrimp as frozen vacuum-pack or canned products.

These lobster or crab or shrimp processing industries are traditional intheir approach and these typical processing techniques are associatedwith a necessity to handle unpredictable catches and large seasonalvolumes of raw such lobsters or crabs or shrimp for which there is aneed to stabilize such lobsters or crabs quickly and with simplicity.These approaches do not necessarily attend the changing demands ofmodern consumers.

In recent years, these lobster or crab or shrimp or even the oysterprocessing industries have responded to consumer demand for freshlobsters or crabs or shrimp by adopting new methods of processing whichinclude the use of the separation of the raw meat from the shells oflobsters or crabs or shrimp and subsequent rapid freezing of suchseparated raw meat. These new methods include the use of freeze-thawseparation techniques as well as the use of applied high hydrostaticpressure which has been shown to effect release of raw meat from theshell material of lobsters or crabs or shrimp. Extracted raw meat oflobsters or crabs is then frozen and distributed for subsequent thawingand cooking.

Heretofore, packaging of such lobsters or crabs or shrimp inbuyer-friendly containers having a good visibility of such has beenvirtually unknown as the shells of such lobsters or crabs, by virtue oftheir shape and their sharp appendages, made it inappropriate to vacuumseal the lobster or crabs product in marketable packaging for retailuse.

Other operators in these lobster or crab or shrimp processing industriesare involved in post-harvest holding and live marketing of lobsters orcrabs. These operators occupy a market niche (e.g. restaurant andsupermarket trade) which is typically high priced and not available tothe traditional cooked frozen product processors.

In the field of the sale of bivalve mollusks, e.g., oysters and clamsand mussels and gastropod mollusks, e.g., abalone, it is known thatbivalve and gastropod mollusk processors have sold freshly-caughtoysters, mussels, clams and abalone, and for many years, have alsoutilized post-harvest stabilization of such bivalve and gastropodmollusks, by cooking such oysters, clams, mussels and abalone and havemarketed the so-cooked products by fresh-chilled and frozendistribution. More typically, the mollusk processors subjected theso-cooked meat of such oysters, clams, mussels and abalone to methods ofchilled shucked raw and cooked meat and individually quick frozen (e.g.known as “IQF”) techniques, or, by separating the raw or so-cooked meatof such oysters, clams, mussels and abalone from the shell and marketingsuch raw or so-cooked meat as chilled pack, frozen vacuum-pack orfurther processed canned products. These bivalve mollusk and gastropodmollusk processing industries are generally not capable of handlingunpredictable catches and large seasonal volumes of raw material forwhich there is a need to stabilize the bivalve or gastropod molluskproduct quickly and with simplicity.

In recent years, this particular bivalve mollusk processing industry hasresponded to consumer demand for fresh oysters by adopting new methodsof processing which include the use of raw meat separation from theshell of the oysters and subsequent rapid freezing These new methodsinclude the use of freeze-thaw separation techniques as well as the useof applied high hydrostatic pressure which has been shown to effect bothcontaminant microbial destruction and permit ease of raw meat releasefrom the retaining shell material. Extracted raw oyster meat is theneither sold chilled raw or frozen raw and distributed for subsequentthawing and cooking.

The preservation of fish has been a major concern for fishermen and fishprocessors for centuries. Originally, fish were salted and/or dried topreserve fish. Historically, fish have been smoked at atmosphericpressures and varying temperature range over long periods of time.Smoking of fish has been one of the major forms of fish preservation forcenturies. Such smoking, however, can also serve to cook the fish whileimparting the smoke flavor. It was later found that the time required tosmoke and cook the fish adequately could be reduced if the smoking andcooking processes could be performed in combination and under pressure.It was also found that smoking and cooking fish under pressure impartedmore smoke flavor to the fish and tended to cause the fish to retainadditional moisture as compared to meat smoked at atmospheric pressure.

Smoking involves the burning of organic substances, such as wood, toproduce a complex mix of over 400 separate chemical compounds. Thesecompounds, when continually exposed to fish flesh, are absorbed into thefish over time and impart a smoke flavor to the fish. The smokecompounds act as a natural “bacteriostat” and greatly increase therefrigerated shelf life of the fish (up to three times the un-smokedshelf life). It is believed that smoking of fish increases the shelflife by killing a majority of the bacteria initially present, and thencreating an acidic microenvironment that slows the growth of bacteriaover time in refrigerated conditions. Demand for smoked fish has beensignificant for many years and is continuing to grow.

It is well-known that raw meat of tuna and other fish becomes oxidizedin a very short time, with attendant blackening and deterioration. Thisoxidation proceeds even in the meat frozen at approximately −20° C., thetemperature used in ordinary freezing. Therefore, such fish is usuallyfrozen, and kept, at lower temperatures. This is the reason why thetransportation and preservation of fish caught in deep-sea areas andterritorial waters of foreign countries are very costly. The use of airfreight, in preference to transport on ships during which stabletemperature control is difficult, adds further to the transportationcost of such fish. It has long been desired to establish someinexpensive method to transport and preserve fish without diminishing orspoiling flavor in a condition similar to that attained by ordinaryfreezing or cold-storage.

In addition to smoking meats under pressure, it has been found thatsmoking and cooking meats and poultry at a pressure less than thesurrounding atmospheric pressure draws moisture from the meats andpoultry and helps to more quickly preserve the foods. For example, meatjerky smoked at less than atmospheric pressure cures more quickly andwith a more desirable texture than does meat jerky smoked at atmosphericpressure.

Dating back thousands of years, before the invention of refrigeration,freezing and canning processes, various meats and poultry were cured bynatural smoke, and it has been found advantageous to smoke meats andpoultry to preserve the foods and to impart a smoke flavor to enhancetaste and acceptability. Meats and poultry have been smoked by thevarious smoking methods as described above.

However, one of the problems inherent in smoking meat products to impartpreservation properties is that the smoke odor and/or smoke tasteremains present in the meat flesh. Additionally, smoke that is producedfrom organic fuel materials typically contains particulates, such ascreosote, tar, soot, etc., which are undesirable elements to have incontact with the meats. Thus, it is beneficial to provide a smoke thathas had some of the particulate removed and further remove the smokeodor/taste while still maintaining the extended shelf life. Demand forsmoked meats and poultry has been significant for many years andcontinues to grow.

Following the invention of refrigeration, the vitality of many suchproteinaceous foods have been prolonged by maintaining theseproteinaceous foods in chilled storage at temperatures of about 0° C. toabout 6° C. Many such proteinaceous foods in their raw state begin rapiddecomposition at temperatures above about 6° C. Hence, suchproteinaceous foods can be maintained fresh and unfrozen for up to twoto three weeks at temperatures of about 1° C. to about 6° C. However,both endogenous and microbial-induced decomposition is inevitable andrapid after this time period and other methods of freezing, canning, andsmoking have been necessary to extend the shelf-life of theseproteinaceous foods.

Since the advent of mechanical refrigeration, fish have been preservedby freezing and refrigeration, thus permitting fishermen to make longerfishing trips, as well as transport the fish long distances over land orwater. It was determined that the vitality of whole or filleted fishhave been prolonged by maintaining the fish in chilled storage attemperatures of about 0° C. to about 6° C. Fish, in particular in itsraw state, begins decomposition quickly at temperatures above about 10°C. Fish can be maintained fresh and unfrozen for up to two to threeweeks at temperatures of about 0° C. to about 4° C. However,decomposition is inevitable and rapid after this time period and othermethods of freezing, canning, and smoking have been found necessary toextend the shelf life of the fish.

Most unfrozen fish is considered “fresh” for as many as about 21 daysfrom harvest. However, unfrozen fish held at refrigeration temperaturesfor extended periods of time usually develop high levels of bacterialcontamination which can lead to decomposition. Bacterial decompositionof fish includes the cellular breakdown of the flesh of the fish due tothe hydrolytic enzymes of bacteria present on or within the flesh of thefish. Conversely, frozen fish is usually frozen upon harvest whichreduces the likelihood that the fish will contain significant or harmfullevels of bacterial decomposition.

The length of time over which fish maintains its freshness is commonlyreferred to as its shelf-life. The shelf-life of fish is determined by anumber of factors, including the total number of each type of bacteriainitially present, the specific types of bacteria present, thetemperature of the flesh of the fish and of the surrounding atmosphere,and the pH of the fish. It is known that to extend the shelf life offish, one may, for example, reduce the number of bacteria present usingchemical means, freezing or other methods, create an acidic pH and/ormaintain the product below about 5° C. in its fresh state. The mostcommon process employed to extend the shelf life of fish is freezing.

An inherent problem, however, with freezing fish is its loss of the“fresh” attributes, e.g. a “pink” or “red” meat color to both the fishflesh and the “blood line” in the fish. The loss of these attributescauses the value of the frozen fish to be less than the value of fishthat has not been previously frozen. This loss of value is aninterpretation of the quality of the fish by the consumer. The color ofthe flesh and blood line of the fish is a major factor in the selling ofseafood at the consumer level. Most consumers purchase fish with their“eyes” rather than with any other factor, such as smell, taste ortexture. Therefore, it is desirable to maintain the “fresh” pink/redcolor of the seafood products as long as possible in order to sell theproduct at a premium to consumers.

Non-limiting examples of patents directed to the smoking of foodproducts include the following:

U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,858, patented Aug. 6, 1985, by Hershfeld, providedapparatus for the surface application of liquid smoke to edible articlessuch as a link sausage product, cheese and other meat products. Thepatentee also taught that a shower of liquid smoke be re-circulated andthat it may be heated to an elevated level. It was thus alleged thatthis method resulted in a faster and more efficient smoking process.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,872, patented Nov. 29, 1994, by Davis et al,provided a vacuum smoker for the smoking of foods. The smoke was firstconcentrated by the application of pressurized air. Then, thatconcentrated smoke was admitted into a vacuum smoking chamber under onlya partial vacuum. Once the vacuum smoking chamber became filled withsmoke-filled air, the vacuum smoke transfer means was disabled and thevacuum creation means further reduced the pressure within the vacuumsmoking compartment still to an undefined partial vacuum. This processwas frequently repeated so that new smoke frequently refilled the vacuumsmoke compartment.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,619, patented Jan. 16, 1996 by Yamaoka et al,provided a procedure for smoking fish and meat by extra-low temperaturesmoking at extra-low temperatures, e.g., between about 0° C. and about5° C.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,330, patented Jun. 8, 1999, by Fessman, provided aprocess for smoking foodstuffs located in a treatment chamber, using amixture of superheated steam and liquid-form smoke vapor. The smokingwith the mixture of superheated steam and liquid-form smoke vapor wascarried out at a pressure of from about 2 to about 10 bars.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,402, patented Oct. 26, 1999, by Kowalski, provided aprocedure for preparing seafood or meat by first treating the seafood ormeat with purified smoke in plastic bags at temperatures between itsfreezing point and about 7° C. The so-treated seafood or meat was thenfrozen.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,012, patented Aug. 17, 2004, by Olson, provided aprocedure for the preservation of meat products by a combination ofsmoke, ozone and freezing procedures.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,293, patented Aug. 30, 2005, by Yamaoka et al,provided a procedure for processing tuna meat by injection of smokethere into, and then freezing the resulting smoked tuna at −18° C.

AIMS OF THE INVENTION

Aims of the present invention include: to provide a method forsmoke-infusing proteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses, crustaceans, bivalvemollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meats and poultry, so that theseparticular smoke-infused proteinaceous foods, may be consumed locally ormay be exported to distant export markets to result in maximized marketvalue and economic return, since many of these distant export marketshave high value perception; to provide a method for smoke-infusing suchproteinaceous foods, which positively induces infusion or perfusion ofthe smoke into such proteinaceous foods; to provide a method forsmoke-infusing proteinaceous foods, e.g., crustaceans, bivalve mollusks,gastropod mollusks, fish, meats and poultry and then quick freezingthese particular smoke-infused proteinaceous foods, so formed so thatthese particular smoke-infused, proteinaceous foods, can bereconstituted by thawing for consumption of the thawed smoke-infusedproteinaceous foods and when thawed may be cooked by usual means, e.g.,of steam or hot water or microwave heating; to provide a method forsmoke-infusing proteinaceous foods, e.g., crustaceans, bivalve mollusks,gastropod mollusks, fish, meats and poultry thereby to prolong thevitality of these proteinaceous foods after these the above identifiedproteinaceous foods, e.g., crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropodmollusks, fish, meats and poultry have been frozen and then thawed; toprovide a method for smoke-infusing proteinaceous foods, e.g.,crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meats andpoultry and then vacuum sealing these smoke-infused proteinaceous foods,so formed so that these smoke-infused proteinaceous foods so formed maybe shipped as a frozen package to the ultimate user and then thawed andcooked by usual means, e.g., of steam or hot water or microwave heating,whereby, when thawed, these smoke-infused proteinaceous foods so formedwould have characteristics of fresh smoke-infused proteinaceous foodsi.e., taste attributes; to provide a method for smoke-infusingproteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses, crustaceans, bivalve mollusks,gastropod mollusks, fish, meats and poultry in order to preserve thefreshness, flavor, and shelf life of these smoke-infused proteinaceousfoods so formed by inhibiting harmful bacteria and decomposition aftersuch exposure to the ambient; to provide vacuum pack of smoke-infusedproteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses, crustaceans, bivalve mollusks,gastropod mollusks, fish, meats and poultry, preferably in a vacuumpouch, immediately after the smoke-infusing treatment, to protect theabove identified smoke-infused proteinaceous foods so formed fromcontamination, and to seal in the smoke components which have beeninfused or perfused into the smoke-infused proteinaceous foods; and toprovide a system for smoke-infusing proteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses,crustaceans, especially cold-water clawed lobsters, bivalve mollusks,especially oysters, gastropod mollusks, especially abalones, fish,especially salmon and Arctic char, meat, especially beef brisket, andpoultry, especially turkey and chicken which provides efficient infusionor perfusion of the smoke into these proteinaceous foods.

STATEMENTS OF INVENTION

One broad aspect of the present invention is the provision of a methodof smoke-infusing proteinaceous foods, including inter alia, cheeses,e.g. cheddar cheese, crustaceans, e.g. cold water clawed lobsters,crabs, shrimps or crayfish, bivalve mollusks, e.g. oysters, clams ormussels, gastropod mollusks, e.g., abalones, fish, e.g., salmon, troutor Arctic char, meats, e.g. ham, sausage meat and sausages, pork, beefbrisket, or reindeer, and poultry, e.g., chicken breast, turkey breastor duck breast, which comprises the steps of: enclosing theproteinaceous foods in a vacuum-treating zone; introducing smokedirectly or indirectly from a smoke generation zone into thevacuum-treating zone; subjecting the proteinaceous foods to vacuumpurging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone, therebyinfusing smoke into such proteinaceous foods; repeating the steps ofintroducing smoke directly or indirectly from the smoke generation zoneinto the vacuum-treating zone, subjecting the proteinaceous foods tovacuum purging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone atleast fifty times in pulsed sequences of smoke introduction stage/vacuumpurging stage/vacuum release stage for the efficient infusion of smokeinto such proteinaceous foods; a and post-chill resting cycle of thesmoke-infused proteinaceous foods at a suitable temperature and for asuitable period of time. This provides proteinaceous foods in a formwhich have improved, acceptably-mild, smoky taste and which haveenhanced preservation at ordinary refrigeration temperature.

Preferably this method includes the following further steps, namelyintroducing smoke directly or indirectly from a smoke generation zoneinto said vacuum-treating zone includes providing a smoke holding zone;recycling smoke from the smoke holding zone back into a conventional airinlet to the smoke generation zone; and introducing smoke from smokeholding zone into the vacuum-treating zone while the proteinaceous foodsare subjected to vacuum purging at a negative pressure in thevacuum-treating zone. This method thereby increases the concentration ofsmoke in the smoke holding zone.

Preferably the negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone is about 20inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg, (which is traditionally definedas full vacuum), desirably from 22 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg andpreferably from 26 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg (respectively, fromabout 515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg, desirably from about 565 mm of Hg toabout 735 mm Hg and preferably from about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mmHg).

Preferably the repetitive cycle is up to about 400 or more pulsedsequences of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuumrelease stage for the efficient infusion of smoke into the proteinaceousfoods.

Preferably the pulsed sequences are carried out in a relatively shortperiod of time, e.g. about 20 minutes to about 40 minutes.

Preferably the essential step of a chill resting cycle of suchsmoke-infused proteinaceous foods is at a temperature of between about0° C. to about 6° C., preferably between about 2° C. and about 4° C.,and is for a suitable period of time, i.e., for at least about 1 hourand preferably about 5 hours or more, e.g., between about 6 and about 10hours.

The above-noted vacuum infusing steps by themselves have not been foundto provide a delicate acceptably-mild smoky taste of the smoke-infusedflavor to the proteinaceous foods.

What is essential is that, after the smoke infusing steps are carriedout, the essential step of a chilled resting cycle must be carried outon the smoke-infused proteinaceous foods.

While not desired to be bound by theory, it is believed that the complexresidue of smoke components on the proteinaceous food interacts with thesmoke-infused proteinaceous foods and desirously adds to the flavor ofsmoke which is adhered to the proteinaceous food. It is further believedthat the vacuum pulse process causes condensation of the smoke aerosolwhich is deposited onto the proteinaceous foods, as a liquid deposit ofthe complex molecules of the smoke, (e.g. tar, cresols, phenols, etc.).It is believed that the chilling of such smoke-infused proteinaceousfoods for at least a five hour resting period cycle allows the complexmolecules of the smoke to infuse and interact at the macromolecularlevel within the surface components of the particular proteinaceousfoods.

While not desired to be bound by theory, it is also believed thatinfusion with trehalose takes advantage of the unique properties oftrehalose sugar, which are known not to be found in other sugars toprovide protection to hard shelled crustaceans, or soft shelledcrustaceans or bivalve mollusks or gastropod mollusk under extendedfrozen storage. This permits re-constitution of such frozen hard shelledcrustaceans or soft shelled crustaceans or bivalve mollusks or gastropodmollusks when they are thawed and cooked by usual means, e.g. by steam,hot water immersion cooking or microwave heating, with excellent tasteand texture attributes. Trehalose has high water retention and proteinpreservation capabilities. Trehalose is thought to form a glass-phase ascells dehydrate which is believed to prevent disruption of internal cellorganelles by effectively splinting them in position. It is believedthat re-hydration then allows normal cellular activity to be resumedwithout major lethal damage that would normally follow adehydration/rehydration cycle.

Another broad aspect of the present invention is the provision of suchsmoke-infused proteinaceous foods

Another broad aspect of the present invention is the provision of suchsmoke-infused crustaceans and mollusks which are also infused withtrehalose.

Another broad aspect of the present invention is the provision of suchsmoke-infused proteinaceous foods which are infused with smoke and whichare provided in a vacuum pack.

Another broad aspect of the present invention is the provision of suchsmoke-infused crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks whichare also infused with trehalose, and which are provided in a vacuumpack.

Another broad aspect of the present invention is the provision ofapparatus for smoke-infusing proteinaceous foods comprising: a source ofsmoke, e.g., a smoke generator; a smoke accumulation tank; a direct lineconnecting that source of smoke to the smoke accumulation tank; a firstcontrol valve operatively associated with the direct line connectingthat source of smoke to the smoke accumulation tank; a recycle line fromthe smoke accumulation tank to an air inlet to that source of smoke, forthe concentration of smoke in the smoke accumulation tank; a secondcontrol valve operatively associated with the recycle line connectingthat source of smoke to the smoke accumulation tank; a vacuum-treatingvessel, the vacuum-treating vessel being for holding the proteinaceousfoods on support means; e.g., trays; a line connecting the smokeaccumulation tank to the vacuum-treating vessel; a third control valveoperatively associated with line connecting the smoke accumulation tankto the vacuum-treating vessel; a vacuum pump; a line connecting thevacuum pump to the vacuum-treating vessel for subjecting thevacuum-treating vessel to a negative pressure, for the efficient andactive infusion of smoke into the proteinaceous foods; a fourth controlvalve operatively associated with the line connecting the vacuum pump tothe vacuum-treating vessel; a fifth control valve operatively associatedwith the vacuum-treating vessel for the release of vacuum from thevacuum-treating vessel; and control means, either manual timing means ora programmable timing means controls for controlling the opening andclosing of the first control valve, the second control valve, the thirdcontrol valve, the fourth control valve and the fifth control valve forsequentially subjecting the vacuum-treating vessel to a plurality ofpulsed sequences of smoke introduction/vacuum purging/vacuum release.This apparatus provides efficient infusion of smoke into theproteinaceous foods.

OTHER FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

In carrying out preferred methods of the present invention, thefollowing additional features, which may be claimed hereinafter include:selecting the negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone preferablyto be in the range of about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg,desirably from 22 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg and preferably from 26inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg (respectively, from about 515 mm Hg toabout 735 mm Hg, desirably from about 565 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hgand preferably from about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg); selectingthe smoke/air mixture to be either at atmospheric pressure or aboveatmospheric pressure; selecting the smoke/air mixture to have a moisturecontent of about 10% to about 50% by weight; selecting the smoke/airmixture to have a smoke content of up to about 50% by weight; selectingthe at least fifty 50 pulsed smoke introduction/vacuum purging/vacuumrelease to comprise from about 50 to about 400 times; selecting thosepulsed smoke cycles and the vacuum purging/vacuum release cycles tosatisfy the following, namely, the smoke introduction takes place forabout 1 second to about 10 seconds, the vacuum purging takes place forabout 5 to about 30 seconds and the vacuum release takes place for about1 second to about 10 seconds; selecting the post chilling cycle to be ata temperature of between about 0° C. to about 6° C., preferably betweenabout 2° C. and about 4° C.; and selecting the time of the post chillingcycle to be at least about 1 hour and preferably 5 hours or more, e.g.,between about 6 and about 10 hours.

One preferred embodiment involves carrying out the smoke infusing methodwhich includes the application of vacuum, in the above-recited rangewith subsequent release of vacuum. It is believed that this vacuumpermits substantially-instantaneous entry of the smoke enrichedair-stream into the vacuum-treating zone and, thereby, effectingintimate contact between the smoke atmosphere and the hard and softcheeses. While not desired to be bound by theory, it is believed thatthe absence of an air-surface barrier permits rapid and invasiveperfusion of smoke volatiles and smoke solid particulates into the hardcheeses and soft cheeses, which is sufficient to impart a delicatesmoke-infused flavor and odor to the hard and the soft cheeses.

This above-recited method for smoking cheeses improves the smoke flavorby conducting the vacuum-release smoke perfusion procedure in repeatedcycles as desired to provide enhanced smoke flavor intensity. Foroptimized commercial production purposes, the vacuum pulse cycle can berepeated at least 50 times, i.e., between about 50 to about 400 cycles.

This above-recited method for smoking cheeses, also improves the overallflavor attributes of the rapid smoke-infusing procedure by a post-smokeresting cycle at chill room temperatures of, e.g. about 1° C. to about6° C. for a suitable period of at least 1 hour and preferably 5 hours ormore, e.g., between about 6 and about 10 hours. This procedure enablesharsh volatile smoke components partially to volatilize, therebyconferring a smoothness of flavor to the finished smoked cheeses.

In another preferred embodiment when the hard shelled crustaceans, e.g.,cold-water clawed lobsters and crabs, are smoked according toembodiments of this invention, the integrity of the delicatesmoke-infused-flavored myotomal tissue of these hard shelled crustaceansis maintained under storage. The so-infused hard shelled crustaceans maythen be thawed and cooked by usual means, e.g., by steam cooking by orhot water immersion or microwave heat cooking. The resultant such hardshelled crustaceans have been found to acquire a delicatecold-smoke-infused flavor and to retain taste and other desirablequalities after reconstitution which are sufficient to yield a highquality edible such hard shelled crustaceans.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, where theparticular crustaceans proteinaceous foods, are, e.g. cold-water clawedlobsters, crabs, or shrimp, the following are further steps carried outon such crustaceans, whether taken singly or in combination: and whichmay be claimed hereinafter: subjecting the so-treated smoke-infusedcrustaceans to conventional freezing techniques; subjecting suchcrustaceans, prior to the smoke-infusing procedure, to a hot waterimmersion, e.g. at about 55° C. to about 65° C. for a suitable period oftime, e.g. a time about 1 to about 8 minutes, which is sufficient tokill the crustaceans humanely, and then optionally subsequent rapidchilling, e.g. through exposure to ice-water for a suitable period oftime, e.g. up to about 30 minutes; exposing such crustaceans toconditions of high externally-applied pressure, preferably about 20,000psi to about 40,000 psi (about 140,000 kPa to about 280,000 kPa) for asuitable period of time, preferably about 2 to about 20 minutes which issufficient to kill the live crustaceans humanely, while substantiallyand simultaneously tenderizing the raw myotomal tissue thereof;subjecting cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, prior to thesmoke-infusing procedure, to at least one of the following steps,namely: a) the step of removal of the visceral content of the cold-waterclawed lobsters or crabs, e.g. by a vacuum procedure, or by positivepressure water flushing and expulsion of the gastro-intestinal content,preferably by effecting a bilateral incision along the ventral surfaceof the cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, and application ofbi-directional external pressure applied to the thoracic carapace regionand sufficient to permit gastro-intestinal tract removal and flushcleaning, e.g. by flushing with a solution of trehalose sugar,preferably at a concentration of about 1 to about 5% by weight withinthe cleansed cavity and gaped ventral tail myotomal tissue, e.g. bymeans of high pressure spray irrigation; subjecting the cold-waterclawed lobsters or crabs, prior to the smoke-infusing procedure, to atleast one of the following steps: b) exposing the hard shelledcrustaceans to a hot water immersion at a suitable temperature of about55° C. to about 65° C., for a suitable period of time which issufficient to kill such cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, humanely,and subsequently rapid chilling of the cold-water clawed lobsters orcrabs, e.g. through exposure to ice-water for a suitable period of time,e.g., at least about 3 minutes, preferably about 3 to about 6 minutes;c) immersing the so-treated cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, into achilled salt solution, e.g. of a concentration of about 1% to about 5%by weight at a suitable temperature of e.g. about 0° C. to about 4° C.;subjecting the cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, either prior to thesmoke-infusing procedure, or after the smoke-infusing procedure, to atleast one of the above-recited steps and then of following steps: d)treating the cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, with a trehalosesolution of a suitable concentration of, e.g. about 1% to about 5% byweight for a suitable period of time; e) immersing the so-treatedcold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, into a chilled salt solution at atemperature of about 0° C. to about 4° C., the salt solution being of aconcentration of about 1% to about 5% by weight and then treating theso-treated cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, with a trehalosesolution which is of a concentration of e.g. about 1% to about 5% byweight for a suitable period of time which is about 1 minute to about 5minutes, and then draining for a suitable period of time, preferablyabout 1 minute to about 3 minutes, and then preferably subjecting theso-treated cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, to a conventionalfreezing technique; incision of the integuments joining the externalhard shell components of the cold-water clawed lobsters or crabs, suchcomponents preferably being the leg joint, the front claw and theventral surface tail carapace; f) draining such cold-water clawedlobsters or crabs, for a suitable period of time, e.g. between about 1to about 3 minutes and subjecting them to standard industry proceduresof brine freeze immersion or, if not yet smoke-infused, directing themto the smoke-infusing procedure.

The smoke-infusing method of aspects of the invention has been found toextend the shelf life of substantially all crustaceans and permits suchcrustaceans to maintain their freshness and freedom from bacterialdecomposition for long periods of time following catch. The smokepreservation method further maintains characteristics of suchcrustaceans, such as, taste, texture and color, thus making the frozenand then thawed re-freshed such crustaceans produced by the presentmethod more appealing to consumers.

While the method described herein, also involves the treatment of freshfish, a similar process can be applied to frozen fish. One such methodis to thaw the frozen fish and later apply the smoke to the thawed fish.A preferred method of treating frozen fish is simultaneously to thaw andsmoke the fish in the smoking apparatus. This eliminates the exposure ofthe fish to standard atmosphere as it thaws.

In another preferred embodiment, the technique of immersing live bivalvemollusks, e.g. oyster, clams, mussels in a solution of salt-watercontaining trehalose solution in the amount of between 1% to 5% byweight for a period of between 0.5 to 2 hours has been shown to conferon said live bivalve mollusks an enhanced robustness of myotomal tissuein subsequent processing involving the use of rapid freezing methods andprior exposure to smoke infusion techniques as described herein. Theprotective capacity of trehalose sugar applied to the delicate muscletissue of live bivalve mollusks assists in maintaining the integrity ofsaid tissue under subsequent processing and later reconstitution bycooking methods. In particular, the trehalose immersion procedureenhances the shelf-life and survivability of the live bivalve mollusks,e g, oyster, clams and mussels during exposure to repeating cycles ofvacuum pulsed smoke infusion.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, theproteinaceous foods are poultry, e.g. chicken, turkey, duck, ostrich oremu; and meats, e.g., beef, pork, sheep, veal, reindeer or goat. Whilethe method described herein involves the treatment of fresh poultry ormeats, a similar process can be applied to frozen poultry or meats tosmoke-infuse them. One such process is to thaw the frozen poultry ormeats and later apply the smoke to the thawed poultry or meats. Apreferred method of treating frozen poultry or frozen meats may besimultaneously to thaw and to smoke the frozen poultry or frozen meatsin the smoking apparatus. This eliminates the exposure of the poultry ormeats to the ambient atmosphere as they thaw.

The vacuum smoke-infusing preservation method of aspects of theinvention has been found to be effective in prolonging the vitality ofpoultry or meats. The vitality-preserving effects of the vacuumsmoke-infusing preservation method survive freezing and thawing, as wellextending the shelf-life of the smoke-infused poultry or meats andmaintaining its freshness and freedom from bacterial decomposition forlong periods of time The vacuum smoke-infusing preservation method ofaspects of the invention further maintains the characteristics ofsmoke-infused poultry or meats, such as taste, texture and color, makingthe thawed and later re-constituted smoke-infused poultry or meatsproduced by the present method more appealing to consumers.

GENERALIZED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term “proteinaceous foods” is intended to include,inter alia cheeses, hard shelled crustaceans, e.g., lobsters or crabs,soft shelled crustaceans, e.g., shrimps or crayfish, mollusks, e.g.,oysters, clams, or mussels, fish, e.g., salmon, trout or Arctic char,meats and fowl, e.g., ham, bacon, beef jerky, sausage, chicken breastand turkey breast, beef brisket, reindeer, chicken, turkey, duck, etc.Such smoked proteinaceous food products are all some non-limitingexamples of popular foods which have been treated by smoke. Thus, theterm “proteinaceous food” is intended to mean the following.

A) Cheese. By the term “cheese” is meant both hard and soft cheesesExamples of cheeses include: American cheeses including, but notnecessarily limited to American Asiago, American Brick, AmericanCheddar, American Colby, American Colby-Jack, American Farmers, AmericanMonterey Jack, American Marble Cheddar, American Mascarpone, AmericanMuenster, American Pepper Jack and American Swiss; Austrian cheesesincluding, but not necessarily limited to Austrian Gruyere, AustrianFontina, and Lunenburg; Belgium cheeses including, but not necessarilylimited to Belgian Cheddar, Bruges Gold, and Brussels, British cheesesincluding, but not necessarily limited to, Caerphilly, Cheddar,Cheshire, Derby, Double Gloucester, Lancashire, Red Lancashire, RedWindsor and Stilton Cheddar; Canadian cheeses including, but notnecessarily limited to, Canadian Brick, Canadian Cheddar, CanadianFarmers, Canadian Havarti, Canadian Marble Cheddar, Canadian MontereyJack, Canadian Mozzarella, Canadian Parmesan, Canadian Racklette,Canadian Swiss and Oka; Danish cheeses including, but not necessarilylimited to Danbo, Esrom, Danish Havarti, Danish Tilsit-Havarti, andSomsoe; Dutch cheeses including, but not necessarily limited to Edam,and Gouda; French cheeses including, but not necessarily limited toBeaufort, Camembert, Epoisses, French Emmenthal, French Munster, FrenchRackette, and Port Salut. Finnish cheeses including, but not necessarilylimited to Lappi and Finlandia; German cheeses including, but notnecessarily limited to Allgau, Bierkasse, German Emmenthal, and GermanTilsit; Italian cheeses including, but not necessarily limited toAsiago, Bel Paese, Bocconcini, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella,Parmesan, Provolone, Ricotta and Romano; Irish cheeses including, butnot necessarily limited to Coolea, Corleggy and Dubliner; Norwegiancheeses including, but not necessarily limited to Gamalost, Geitost,Jarlsberg and. Norvegia; Swedish cheeses including, but not necessarilylimited to Swedish Farmers and Swedish Fontina; Swiss cheeses including,but not necessarily limited to Emmenthal, Fribourgeouse, Gruyere,Neufchatel, and Vacherin. Preferred cheeses include, but are notnecessarily limited to, cheddar, gouda, mozzarella and gruyere.

B) Crustaceans. The term “crustaceans” includes, a) Lobsters including,but not necessarily limited to Cold Water Clawed Lobsters including, butnot necessarily limited to American Cold Water Clawed Lobsters andCanadian Cold Water Clawed Lobsters, Bight Lobsters, Brazilian Lobsters,and European Lobsters; b) Crayfish, including, but not necessarilylimited to Caribbean Lobsters, Crawdads, Dublin Prawns, EuropeanCrayfish, Japanese Lobsters, Langoustines, New Zealand Lobsters,Norwegian Lobsters, Scampi, Sea Crawfish and Spiny Lobsters; c) Crabs,including, but not necessarily limited to Blue Crabs, Common Crabs,Dungeness Crabs, European Spiny Crabs, Flower Crabs, Golden Crabs,Japanese Blue Crabs, Jonah Crabs, King Crabs, Peekytoe Crabs, PorcupineCrabs, Red King Crabs, Snow Crabs, Southern Rock Crabs, Stone Crabsincluding Northern Stone Crabs and Florida Stone Crabs and Toad Crab; d)Prawns, including, but not necessarily limited to Common Prawns, TigerPrawns including Black Tiger Prawns and Giant Tiger prawns and IndianPrawns; and e) Shrimp, including, but not necessarily limited toAmerican Freshwater Shrimp, Amino Shrimp, Giant Shrimp, Jumbo Shrimp,Tiger Shrimp including Black Tiger Shrimp, Penaeid Shrimp includingWhite Shrimp, Pink Shrimp and Brown Shrimp, Sand Shrimp, Sri Lanka DwarfShrimp, That Shrimp and Yellow Nose Shrimp.

C) Bivalve Mollusks, Gastropods and Cephalids, namely a) Bivalvemollusks, including, but not necessarily limited to clams including, butnot necessarily limited to Atlantic Surf Clams, Pacific Razor Clams,Quahogs, Razor Clams, Surf Clams, and Soft Shell Clams (steamers),Cockles, Mussels, Oysters and Scallops; b) Gastropods including, but notnecessarily limited to Abalones including, but not necessarily limitedto Northern Pinto Abalones, Ormers, Muttonshells, Conch, Snailsincluding, but not necessarily limited to Fresh Water Snails, LandSnails and Limpets and Sea Snails, and Whelks; and c) Cephalids,including, but not necessarily limited to Cuttlefish and Octopus andSquids, including, but not necessarily limited to Argentinean Short FinSquids, Longfin Squids, Japanese Flying Squids and Patagonian Squids.

D) Fish. The term ‘fish’ includes both “freshwater fish” and “marinefish” and includes, fish per se and also the roe of such fish, but isnot limited to Arctic char, bass, blowfish, bluefish, bonito, brill,carp, capelin, catfish, chub, cobia, cod, conger, dolphin, dore, eel,European anchovy, Flying fish, flounder, fluke, gar, grayling, grouper,hake, halibut, haddock, herring, jack, John Dory, king fish, lamprey,lake trout, loach, mackerel, mahi-mahi, marlin, moray eel, mullet,orange roughy, perch, pike, pike-perch, pilchard, plaice, Pollock,pompano, porgies, rainbow trout, salmon and salmon roe, including butnot limited to Atlantic salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon andsalmon-trout, sardine, scrod, sea bass, sea bream, sea squab, seattrout, shad, smelt, snapper, sole, spade fish, sprat, sturgeon includingits caviar, sword fish, tarpon, tilapia, tile fish, turbot, trevally,tunas including albacore tuna, big eye tuna, blue fin tuna, tongol tuna,skipjack tuna and yellow fin tuna, Wahoo, walleye, white croaker, whitegrunt, whiting, whitefish, and Winnipeg Goldeye.

E) Meats and Poultry which includes the edible meat from the genus Bos(e.g. cows), the genus Os (e.g. pigs), the genus Ovis aires (e.g.sheep), the genus Capra (e.g. goat), the genus Rangifer tarandus (e.g.reindeer), the genus Cervus elaphus (e.g., elk), the genus Alces alces(e.g., moose), the genus Damalisus sub-family Antilopinae (e.g.antelope), and which also includes edible meat from the genusGalloanserae (e.g., fowl), especially of the order Galliformes (e.g.chickens, quails and turkeys) and the genus Anatidae in the orderAnseriformes (e.g., domestic ducks and domestic geese), etc.Specifically for a) beef, the butcher cuts of which include, but are notlimited to brisket, brisket point porterhouse, prime rib, rib eye,round, short loin, sirloin hip, sirloin tip, tenderloin, top sirloin andT-bone and ground or minced beet; Specifically for b) veal, the butchercuts of which include, but are not limited to breast, butt, flank, leg,loin, rump, sirloin and sirloin tip and ground or minced veal;Specifically for c) pork, the butcher cuts of which include, but are notlimited to belly, breast, chops, ham, loin, picnic, shoulder andtenderloin and ground or minced pork or minced or ground pork sausagemeat, which includes other ingredients including cereal, spices etc.;Specifically for d) sheep and lamb, the butcher cuts of which include,but are not limited to double shoulder, flank, leg, leg shank, loin andsirloin and ground or minced sheep or lamb; Specifically for e) deer,including reindeer, antelope, elk and moose, the butcher cuts of whichinclude, but are not limited to back rib, brisket, chuck, hip, flank,loin, loin strips, roast, saddle, short loin, steak, tenderloin and topsirloin. and ground or minced deer; f) goat, the butcher cuts of whichinclude, but are not limited to leg, rack, short loin, tenderloin andground or minced goat.

F) Poultry, including but not limited to chicken, emu, turkey, duck,goose, ostrich, squab, and quail, the butcher cuts of which include, butare not limited to back, breast, breast strips, cutlets, drumsticks,legs, tenderloins thighs and wings.

Common examples of these meats and poultry that may be smoke-infusedinclude sausage ground pork and sausages, bacon, ham, brisket, pastrami,salami, reindeer, reindeer steak, and reindeer fillet, and turkeybreast, turkey thighs, turkey legs, chicken breast, chicken thighs,chicken legs, duck breast, duck thighs duck legs, ostrich breast,ostrich thighs, ostrich legs, and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is a schematic, generalized side-elevation view of a vacuumsmoke-infusing apparatus which may be employed for carrying out themethod of a broad aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a prototype of a commercial vacuumsmoke-infusing apparatus which has been employed for carrying out themethods of the present invention as described in the following examples;

FIG. 3 is a side-elevation view of the prototype commercial vacuumsmoke-infusing apparatus shown in FIG. 2, taken along the arrows A-A;

FIG. 4 is a side-elevation view of the prototype commercial vacuumsmoke-infusing apparatus shown in FIG. 2, taken along the arrows B-B;and

FIG. 5 is an end elevation view of the prototype commercial vacuumsmoke-infusing apparatus shown in FIG. 2, taken along the arrows C-C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Detailed Description of FIG. 1

The vacuum smoke-infusing apparatus 10 comprises a smoke generator 12connected by piping 14 to an accumulation tank 16. The accumulation tankis connected to a vacuum-treating vessel 18 by means of line 20 which isprovided with a first control valve V1. Line 20 leads via branches 22,24 to the interior 26 of the vacuum-treating vessel 18. Thevacuum-treating vessel 18 includes two vacuum sealed tight closure doors28, 30. Within the interior 26 of the vacuum-treating vessel 18 are aplurality of trays 32 or other means, for holding the proteinaceousfoods to be smoke-infused. The vacuum-treating vessel 18 is placed undersub-atmospheric pressure within the range of about in the range of about20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg, desirably from 22 inches of Hgto 29 inches of Hg and preferably from 26 inches of Hg to 29 inches ofHg (respectively, from about 515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg, desirablyfrom about 565 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg and preferably from about 670mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg) by means of vacuum pump 34, which isconnected to vacuum-treating vessel 18 by line 36 which is fitted with asecond control valve V2. Vacuum-treating vessel 18 is also fitted with athird valve control V3. While not shown, the vacuum-treating vessel 18is preferably provided with vacuum gauge to provide information on thevacuum within the vacuum-treating vessel 18.

Control Valves V1, V2 and V3 are controlled either manually or byprogrammable controls to subject the proteinaceous foods to vacuumperfusion at the above recited negative pressure in the vacuum-treatingzone. This perfusion is carried out at least about 50, and up to about400 or more, times in pulsed sequences of smoke introductionstage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage for the infusion ofsmoke into proteinaceous foods. These cycles of repeated sequences arecarried out in such pulsed sequences in a relatively short period oftime, e.g. about 20 minutes to about 40 minutes for the efficientinfusion of smoke into the proteinaceous foods. As noted above, thecontrol of control valves V1, V2 and V3 may be by manual timing means orbut are preferably automatically controlled by suitable controls, e.g.an Allen Bradley Micrologic 1000™ Programmable Controller.

The smoke generator 12 produces smoke suitable for treatment of thepreviously recited proteinaceous foods for human consumption and has asmoke/air mixture moisture content of about 10% to about 50% by weight.This smoke/air mixture may be generated by any number of meansincluding, but not limited to, combustion, transformation between solidor liquid state to gaseous state, friction, pyrolysis, aerobically,anaerobically, electrical heating or direct flame; and the smoke may beused in its whole or filtered state. If the smoke is filtered to removeany component of the smoke, such filtering may be performed by anyphysical means, carbon filtering, ice column filtering, centrifugalforce, electrostatic force, or other known means of separating out acomponent of smoke. The burning of wood sawdust, in an oxygen restrictedretort, is an efficient way to produce high quality smoke from woods.Typical wood fuels for smoking include oak, spruce Japanese oak, beech,cherry, alder, Japanese linden, walnut, chestnut, white birch, hickory,poplar and plane, chinquapin, Japanese common chestnut, and other trees.Typical non-wood fuels for smoking include dried peat.

The smoke generator 12 may be any commercially-available smokerapparatus, e.g., that which may be obtained commercially from ScottEngineering, Indianapolis, Ind., USA, or from KOCH Equipment L.L.C.Kansas City, Mo., U.S.A., or from AFOS Group, Hesle, England.

Detailed Description of FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5

The vacuum smoke-infusing apparatus 200 of a broad aspect of the presentinvention includes three main units, namely a smoke generator 210, asmoke accumulation tank 220 and a vacuum-treating vessel 240, which areall interconnected.

The smoke generator 210 is connected to the accumulation tank 220 bymeans of recycle line 212, which may be, for example, a 3″ sanitary tubewith ferrules and clamps, for recirculation of air between the air inlet(not seen) of smoke generator 210 and the accumulation tank 220. Inorder to assist in the recycling of the smoke from the smoke generator210 to the accumulation tank 220, a blower, (not seen) is connected to aconventional air inlet to the smoke generator 210 A suitable controlvalve V22, which may be, for example, a 3″ pneumatically-operatedbutterfly valve, is provided in recycle line 212. Control valve V22 iscontrolled to be a re-circulated air/smoke mixture shut-off valve.

The smoke generator 210 is also connected to the accumulation tank 220by means of direct line 214, which may be, for example, a 3″ sanitarytube with ferrules and clamps, for direct introduction of smoke fromsmoke generator 210 to the accumulation tank 220. A suitable controlV24, which may be, for example, a 3″ pneumatically-operated butterflyvalve, is controlled to be an air/smoke mixture shut-off valve.

The smoke accumulation tank 220 is a generally-cylindrical uprighthollow cylinder 222 which is provided with a man-way 224 which leads toa vent 226. Access to the interior of the accumulation tank 220, for anyreason, is achieved through man-way 224 via access steps 228.

The smoke generator 210 produces a smoke/air mixture which is suitablefor treatment of the previously recited proteinaceous food products. Thesmoke generator 210 includes an air inlet (not seen) to enable theproduction of smoke. The smoke generator 210 produces smoke whichpreferably has a smoke/air mixture moisture content of about 10% toabout 50% by weight. The recycling units described above ensure that thesmoke, in the smoke/air mixture, may be up to about 50% by weight. Thissmoke/air mixture may be generated by any number of means, using theabove-recited commercially-available smokers, including, but not limitedto, combustion, transformation between solid or liquid state to gaseousstate, friction, pyrolysis, aerobically, anaerobically, electricalheating or direct flame; and the smoke may be used in its whole orfiltered state.

If the smoke in the smoke/air mixture is filtered to remove anycomponent of the smoke, such filtering may be performed by any physicalmeans, e.g., carbon filtering, ice column filtering, centrifugal force,electrostatic force, or other known means of separating out a componentof smoke. The burning of wood sawdust, in an oxygen restricted retort,is an efficient way to produce high quality smoke from woods. Typicalwood fuels for smoking include oak, spruce Japanese oak, beech, cherry,alder, Japanese linden, walnut, chestnut, white birch, hickory, poplarand plane, chinquapin, Japanese common chestnut, and other trees.Typical non-wood fuels for smoking include dried peat.

Smoke in the smoke/air mixture having the properties as above described,may be produced by a smoke generator 210 which may be anycommercially-available smoker apparatus Examples of such smokegenerators include those which may be obtained commercially from ScottEngineering, Indianapolis, Ind., U.S.A., or from KOCH Equipment L.L.C.Kansas City, Mo., U.S.A., or from AFOS Group, Hesle, England.

The smoke accumulation tank 220 is primarily connected to thevacuum-treating vessel 240 by direct smoke line 232, which may be, forexample, a 3″ sanitary tube with ferrules and clamps, for theintroduction of smoke from the smoke accumulation tank 220. Direct smokeline 232 is provided with a smoke inlet valve V26, which may be, forexample, a 3″ pneumatically-operated ball valve.

The vacuum-treating vessel 240 is a generally-cylindrical hollowcylinder 242, which is oriented on in its side so that its curved facesprovide an upper curved face 244 and a lower curved face 246. Theinterior of the vacuum-treating vessel 240 is placed under vacuum bymeans of vacuum pump 248. Vacuum pump 248 is connected to the interiorof the vacuum-treating vessel 240 by main vacuum line 252, which may be,for example, a 3″ sanitary tube with ferrules and clamps. Main vacuumline 252 is provided with vacuum-controlling valve V28, which may be,for example, a 3″ pneumatically-operated ball valve.

Vacuum-treating vessel 240 is provided fresh air inlet valve V30 whichmay be, for example, a 3″ pneumatically-operated ball valve which isinstalled in connecting line 290 through the upper curved face 242 ofvacuum-treating vessel 240. The vacuum-treating vessel 240 is alsoprovided with vacuum gauge 254 which is fitted to connecting line 292through the upper curved face 242 of the vacuum-treating vessel 240 toprovide information on the vacuum within the vacuum-treating vessel 240.

Smoke/air mixture is admitted to the interior of the vacuum-treatingvessel 240 via bifurcated upcomer smoke line 258 through its connectionto direct smoke line 232. Bifurcated upcomer smoke line 258 is entersthe vacuum-treating vessel 240 through the lower curved face 244 of thevacuum-treating vessel 240 by way of a suitable line 260 from the smokeaccumulation tank 220.

The vacuum-treating vessel 240 is placed under sealed vacuum conditions.Thus, the vacuum-treating vessel 240 is placed under suitablesub-atmospheric pressure, which may be, for example within the range ofabout 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg, desirably from 22 inchesof Hg to 29 inches of Hg and preferably from 26 inches of Hg to 29inches of Hg (respectively, from about 515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg,desirably from about 565 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg and preferably fromabout 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg). The vacuum-treating vessel 240includes two vacuum-tight sealable closure doors, namely ingress door262 and egress door 264, which are supported on door supports 276, 278,respectively. As shown, (see FIG. 3) ingress door 262 is in itsvacuum-sealed condition, while egress door 264 is shown in its opencondition.

The control valves V22, V24, V26, V28 and V30 are controlled by controls250. These controls 250 may be by manual timing means, but arepreferably programmable controls 250 which may be, e.g., an AllenBradley Micrologic 1000™ Programmable Controller.

The loading of the vacuum-treating vessel 240 with the selectedproteinaceous food product is by means of a hinged loading stand 280. Asshown, (see FIG. 3) the hinged loading stand 280 has its hinged section282 in its “up” condition. The unloading of the vacuum-treating vessel240 with the thus-smoke infused selected proteinaceous food product isthrough hinged section 264 onto product racks 268, which are supportedon discharge stand 270. The unloaded smoke infused selectedproteinaceous food product is transported by suitable means to a “cold”room for a chill resting cycle. The chill resting cycle is desirably ata temperature of between about 0° C. to about 6° C., preferably betweenabout 2° C. and about 4° C. of such smoke-infused proteinaceous foodsfor a suitable period of time; e.g. at least about 1 hour and preferably5 hours or more, e.g., between about 6 and about 10 hours.

SUMMARY OF APPARATUS UNITS

-   a) The vacuum-treating vessel 240 holds the proteinaceous food    product to be smoked.-   b) The accumulation tank 220 stores the smoke from the smoke    generator 210.-   c) The smoke generator 210 produces smoke and feeds it to the    accumulation tank 220 via a blower (not seen).-   d) The vacuum pump 246 removes air from the vacuum-treating vessel    240.-   e) Pneumatically-operated control valves are V22, V24, V26, V28, and    V30.-   f) Valve V22 (normally open) is between the smoke accumulation tank    220 and the smoke generator 210.-   g) Valve V24 (normally open) is between the smoke generator 210 and    the smoke accumulation tank 220.-   h) Valve V26 (normally closed) is between the vacuum-treating vessel    240 and the smoke accumulation tank 220.-   i) V28 valve (normally closed) is between the vacuum-treating vessel    240 and the vacuum pump 246.-   j) V30 valve (normally closed) is between the vacuum chamber 246 and    ambient exterior.-   k) Pneumatically-operated control valves V22, V24, V26, V28 and V30    are actuated by solenoid valves controlled by an Allen Bradley    Micrologic 1000™ Programmable Controller.

SUMMARY OF OPERATION

In operation, the proteinaceous food product is placed into thevacuum-treating vessel 240 and the two vacuum-tight sealable closuredoors, namely ingress door 262 and egress door 264, are closed. Theoperator turns on the controller 250 and, by computer prompts, sets thenumber of cycles required for proper smoking of the particularproteinaceous food product. Control valves V26, V28 & V30 are closed.Smoke generator 210 produces an air/smoke mixture and fills the smokeaccumulation tank 220. Both control valves V22 & V24 are open, thusallowing the air/smoke mixture to fill the accumulation tank 220 and tore-circulate back through the smoke generator to increase the smokedensity, aided by the blower (not seen). When the operator presses“start” on the controller 250, control valve V28 opens and air is drawnfrom the two vacuum-tight sealable closure doors, namely ingress door262 and egress door 264. This control valve V28 remains open until thepreset vacuum reaches the above-described values. At that point, controlvalve V28 as well as control valves V22 & V24 that isolate the smokegenerator 210 from the accumulation tank 220 close. Then control valveV26 opens and smoke from the accumulation tank 240 is draw into thevacuum-treating vessel 240. When the vacuum-treating vessel 240 reachesatmospheric pressure, control valve V26 closes and control valves V22 &V24 open. This completes one cycle of the 50 to about 400 cycles.

The process repeats itself until it reaches the number of cycles set bythe operator. At that point, control valve V28 opens and air is drawnfrom the vacuum-treating vessel 240. Control valve V28 remains openuntil the above-recited preset vacuum is reached. At that point controlvalve V28 closes and control valve V30 opens to allow fresh air to bedrawn into the vacuum-treating vessel 240. At a preset time, controlvalve V30 closes.

Now the programmed 50 to about 400 cycles are complete. The operator canopen ingress door 262 and egress door 264, and remove the smokedproteinaceous food product from the vacuum-treating vessel 240.

OPERATION AND GENERIC EXAMPLE

A generic method of the present invention using the apparatus as abovedescribed in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is as follows.

The selected proteinaceous foods, e.g., cheese, crustacean, e.g.,lobster, bivalve mollusk, e.g., oyster, gastropod mollusk, e.g.,abalone, fish, e.g., salmon, meat, e.g., brisket or poultry, e.g. turkeybreast, are smoke-infused using the apparatus described in FIG. 2, FIG.3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Pieces of the selected proteinaceous food, to besmoke-infused are placed in desired proportions on product racks 268 andare then introduced into the interior of the vacuum vessel 240. Vacuumpump 246 removes air from the interior of the vacuum vessel 240 tocreate a vacuum of the order of about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inchesof Hg, desirably from 22 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg and preferablyfrom 26 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg (respectively, from about 515 mmHg to about 735 mm Hg, desirably from about 565 mm of Hg to about 735 mmHg and preferably from about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg), withinthe vacuum vessel 240. The operation of the vacuum pump 234 is thenstopped. The air/smoke mixture which has moisture content of about 10%to about 50% by weight which is prepared as described above and is firstheld in smoke accumulation tank 220 and recycled to provide aconcentration of smoke which may be up to about 50%, is thencontrollably transferred from the accumulation tank 220 to the interiorof the vacuum-treating vessel 240 through bifurcated upcomer 258 byopening smoke control valve V21 until equilibrium is reached, withinabout 10 to about 30 seconds. Once the vacuum vessel 240 becomes filledwith smoke, i.e., when an atmosphere of smoke is created within thevacuum vessel 240, the smoke infuses rapidly into the proteinaceous foodproduct. The transfer of the air/smoke mixture from the accumulationtank 220 to the interior of the vacuum vessel 240 is then discontinuedand vacuum pump 246 is again actuated to withdraw smoke which had notinfused into the proteinaceous food product from the vacuum-treatingvessel 240. This reduces the negative pressure within the vacuumsmoke-infusing compartment to the above specified negative pressurelevel These method steps are repeated so that new or recycled smokealways refilled the vacuum vessel 240.

Control valves V22, V24, V26, V28 and V30 are controllably operated asfully described above. The opening of vacuum release and fresh air valveV28 removes smoke which had not been perfused into the proteinaceousfood product and brings the vacuum vessel 240 up to atmosphericpressure.

These pulsed sequences of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purgingstage/vacuum release stage is periodically repeated, i.e., smokeintroduction stage for about 1 to about 10 seconds, vacuum purging stagefor about 5 to about 30 seconds and vacuum release stage for about 1 toabout 10 seconds for about 50 to about 400 cycles. The sequence ofopening/closing of control valves V22, V24, V26, V28 and V30 may beactuated manually, but are preferably automatically controlled bycontrols 250 which is, e.g., an Allen Bradley Micrologic 1000™Programmable Controller.

In order to remove the selected smoke-infused proteinaceous food fromthe vacuum vessel 240, vacuum release and fresh air valve V23 is openedto return the vacuum vessel 240 back to atmospheric pressure.

The method is controlled to operate under the following conditions:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg,        desirably from 22 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg and preferably        from 26 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg (respectively from about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg, desirably from about 565 mm of Hg        to about 735 mm Hg and preferably from about 670 mm of Hg to        about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke introduction stage for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum purging stage for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release stage for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   When the selected proteinaceous food within the vacuum vessel        240 was adequately smoke-infused, such selected smoke-infused        proteinaceous food was removed.    -   The removed selected smoke-infused proteinaceous food was        subjected to the additional essential step of chilled resting.        The removed selected smoke-infused proteinaceous food was        transported by suitable means into a cold room. For example,        they may be transported on the product racks 268 manually into        the cold room A cold resting cycle is then carried out at a        temperature of about 2° C. to about 4° C. to remain there for a        period of at least 1 hour, i.e. about 5 hours to about 8 hours,        e.g., about 6 hours, to provide a chilled rested selected        smoke-infused proteinaceous food. Alternatively, the removed        smoke-infused proteinaceous food product may be discharged from        the product racks 268 directly onto a conveyor belt (not shown)        and are then conveyed into a cold room as above specified, at a        temperature of about 2° C. to about 4° C. to remain there for a        period of about 6 hours, to provide a chilled rested        smoke-infused proteinaceous food product. Thus, the chilled        resting cycle was desirably from about 1 to about 6 hours at        about 1° C. to about 6° C.

EXAMPLE 1

Cheeses may be smoke-infused according to one embodiment of the methodof the present invention. The smoke-infusing method on cheddar cheeseaccording to an embodiment of this invention, was carried out asdescribed below.

Pieces of the cheddar cheese as to be smoke-infused were placed indesired proportions on trays within the interior of the vacuum vessel aspreviously defined in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The vacuumvessel was then sealed. The vacuum pump as previously defined wasoperated as previously defined to create a negative pressure within thevacuum-treating vessel of the order of about 26 inches of Hg to 29inches of Hg (from about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg), i.e., at ornearly at full vacuum. Smoke having an increased smoke content which hadbeen provided by the above-described recycling, and which was initiallyhad a smoke/air mixture moisture content of about 10% to about 50%, byweight was then admitted into the vacuum-treating vessel untilequilibrium was reached. Smoke introduction was then ceased andsubstantially simultaneously vacuum was applied. The smoke infusion tookplace at a suitable low temperature e.g., of about 4° C. for a time ofabout 2 to 20 seconds. This then removed smoke which had not beenperfused into the cheddar cheese to be smoke-infused was removed. Thissequence of method steps, i.e., introducing smoke into thevacuum-treating zone, and then removing the smoke was repeated 50 toabout 400 times, i.e., in pulsed sequences of smoke introductionstage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage which results in theefficient infusion of smoke into the cheddar cheese. This pulsedsequence of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum releasestage was periodically repeated, as above noted, i.e., smokeintroduction stage for about 1 to about 10 seconds, vacuum purging stagefor about 5 to about 30 seconds and vacuum release stage for about 1 toabout 10 seconds for about 50 to about 400 cycles. In order to removethe smoke-infused cheddar cheese from the vacuum vessel fresh air wasintroduced to bring the vacuum vessel to atmospheric pressure.

The smoke-infused cheddar cheese was removed. An empirical test wasperformed to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused cheddarcheese. It was found that such cheese had a smoky acrid aroma and anunpleasant smoky taste.

Thus, the procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 26 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (from        about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   The removed smoke-infused cheddar cheese was subjected to the        additional essential step of a chilled resting cycle as        previously described in the cold room at a temperature of about        2° C. to about 6° C. for a period of about 6 hours. Thus, the        chilled resting cycle was about 1 to about 6 hours at about        2° C. to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused cheddar cheese which had been prepared by thesmoke-infusion method of an aspect of the present invention as describedabove and which included the above-described essential step of thechilled resting cycle as above specified was again subjected to theempirical test to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused cheddarcheese. It was found that such cheese had no substantial smoky aroma,had improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and had improved preservationqualities.

EXAMPLE 2

The method as described for the production of smoke-infused cheddarcheese is modified for the production of smoke-infused Gouda cheese. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused Gouda cheese which is prepared according to theabove-described method steps of the present invention has no substantialsmoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has improvedpreservation qualities.

EXAMPLE 3

The method as described for the production of smoke-infused cheddarcheese is modified for the production of smoke-infused Colby cheese. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused Colby cheese which is prepared according to theabove-described method steps of the present invention, has nosubstantial smoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste andhas improved preservation qualities.

EXAMPLE 4

The method as described for the production of smoke-infused cheddarcheese, is modified for the production of smoke-infused Gruyere cheese.The procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused Gruyere cheese which is prepared according to theabove-described method of the present invention, has no substantialsmoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has improvedpreservation qualities.

The method of aspect of this invention may be carried out withequally-effective results on at least all the cheesesspecifically-listed hereinabove.

EXAMPLE 5

The smoke-infusing method on a crustacean i.e. lobsters according to anembodiment of this invention, was carried out as described below.

American or Canadian cold water clawed lobsters were separated from theshell by usual means, e.g., by the method described in U.S. Pat. No.6,159,528 patented Dec. 12, 2000 by Gallant et al, (the entire contentsof which are hereby incorporated by reference), which provided methodsfor separating the intact shell of hard-shelled crustaceans from the rawedible meat contained therein which is very strongly attached to theshells by specified freeze-thaw cycles. The so-separated meat issubjected to the method of the present invention under the methodconditions previously described in detail.

Pieces of the separated meat of the lobster as so-described to besmoke-infused were placed in desired proportions on trays within theinterior of the vacuum vessel as previously defined in FIG. 2, FIG. 3,FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The vacuum vessel was then sealed. The vacuum pump aspreviously defined was operated as previously defined to create anegative pressure within the vacuum-treating vessel of the order ofabout 26 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg (from about 670 mm of Hg toabout 735 mm Hg), i.e., at or nearly at full vacuum. Smoke having anincreased smoke content which had been provided by the above-describedrecycling procedure, and which initially had a smoke/air mixturemoisture content of about 10% to about 50%, by weight, was then admittedinto the vacuum-treating vessel until equilibrium was reached. Smokeintroduction was then ceased and substantially simultaneously vacuum wasapplied. The smoke infusion took place at a suitable low temperature ofe.g., about 4° C. for a time of about 2 to 20 seconds. By thisprocedure, smoke which had not been perfused into the lobster meat to besmoke-infused was removed. This sequence of method steps, i.e.,introducing smoke into the vacuum-treating zone, and then removing thesmoke was repeated 50 to about 400 times, i.e., in pulsed sequences ofsmoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage whichresults in the efficient infusion of smoke into the lobster meat. Thispulsed sequence of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuumrelease stage was periodically repeated, as above noted, i.e., smokeintroduction stage for about 1 to about 10 seconds, vacuum purging stagefor about 5 to about 30 seconds and vacuum release stage for about 1 toabout 10 seconds for about 50 to about 400 cycles. In order to be ableto remove the smoke-infused lobster meat from the vacuum vessel freshair was introduced to bring the vacuum vessel to atmospheric pressure.

The smoke-infused lobster meat was then removed. An empirical test isperformed to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused lobstermeat. It was found that such lobster meat had a smoky acrid aroma and anunpleasant smoky taste.

Thus, the procedure was controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 26 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (from        about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   The removed smoke-infused lobster meat was subjected to the        additional essential step of a chilled resting cycle as        previously described in the cold room at a temperature of about        2° C. to about 6° C. for a period of about 6 hours. Thus, the        chilled resting cycle was about 1 to about 6 hours at about        2° C. to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused lobster meat which had been prepared by thesmoke-infusion method of an aspect of the present invention as describedabove and which included the above-described essential step of thechilled resting cycle as above specified was again subjected to theempirical test to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused lobstermeat. It was found that such lobster meat had no substantial smokyaroma, had improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and had improvedpreservation qualities.

While the above smoke infusion has been described for extracted lobstermeat, it is equally applicable to the following lobster smoke infusions:

The lobster shell may be scored and the entire lobster may be subjectedto the smoke infusion; i.e, below the lobster shell.

The lobster claws may be separated from the entire lobster, then scoredand the scored lobster claws may be subjected to the smoke infusion;below the lobster claw shell.

The lobster tails may be separated from the entire lobster, then scoredand the scored lobster tails may be subjected to the smoke infusion;below the lobster tail shell.

The whole lobster may be eviscerated and the whole eviscerated lobstermay be subjected to the smoke infusion.

EXAMPLE 6

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infusedlobster is modified for the production of smoke-infused snow crab. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The snow crab which was smoke infused according to the above-describedmethod of the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, hasimproved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has improved preservationqualities.

EXAMPLE 7

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infusedlobster is modified for the production of smoke-infused King crab. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The King crab which was smoke infused according to the above-describedmethod of the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, hasimproved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has improved preservationqualities.

EXAMPLE 8

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infusedlobster is modified for the production of smoke-infused, raw, freshshell-on common shrimp. The procedure is controlled to be carried out asfollows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting period: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused raw, fresh shell-on common shrimp prepared accordingto the above-described method of the present invention has aneasily-removable shell, has no substantial smoky aroma, has improvedacceptably-mild smoky taste and has improved preservation at ordinaryfreezing temperatures.

EXAMPLE 9

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused commonshrimp is modified for the production of smoke-infused raw, freshshell-on prawns. The procedure is controlled to be carried out asfollows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting period: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused raw, fresh shell-on prawns prepared according to theabove-described method of the present invention, has an easily-removableshell, has no substantial smoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mildsmoky taste and has improved preservation at ordinary freezingtemperatures.

The method of aspect of this invention may be carried out withequally-effective results on at least all the crustaceansspecifically-listed hereinabove.

EXAMPLE 10

The smoke-infusing method on intact oysters according to an embodimentof this invention, was carried out as described below.

Intact oysters to be smoke-infused were placed on trays within theinterior of the vacuum vessel as previously described in FIG. 2, FIG. 3,FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The vacuum vessel was then sealed. The vacuum pump aspreviously defined was operated as previously defined to create anegative pressure of the order of about 26 inches of Hg to 29 inches ofHg (from about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg), i.e., at or nearly atfull vacuum, within the vacuum-treating vessel. Smoke which had anincreased smoke content which had been provided by the above-describedrecycling, and which had a smoke/air mixture moisture content of about10% to about 50% by weight, was then admitted into the vacuum-treatingvessel until equilibrium was reached. Smoke introduction was then ceasedand substantially simultaneously vacuum was applied. The smoke infusiontook place at a suitable low temperature of e.g., about 4° C. for a timeof about 2 to 20 seconds. Smoke which had not been perfused into theoysters to be smoke-infused was removed. This sequence of steps, i.e.,introducing smoke into the vacuum-treating zone, and then removing thesmoke was repeated 50 to about 400 times i.e., in pulsed sequences ofsmoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage whichresults in the efficient infusion of smoke into the intact oysters. Thispulsed sequences of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuumrelease stage was periodically repeated, as above noted, i.e., smokeintroduction stage for about 1 to about 10 seconds, vacuum purging stagefor about 5 to about 30 seconds and vacuum release stage for about 1 toabout 10 seconds for about 50 to about 400 cycles. In order to removethe smoke-infused intact oysters from the vacuum vessel fresh air wasintroduced to bring the vacuum vessel to atmospheric pressure.

The method for the production of smoke-infused intact oysters, iscontrolled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 26 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (from        about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   The smoke-infused intact oysters were removed. An empirical test        was performed to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused        oysters. It was found that such intact oysters had a smoky acrid        aroma and an unpleasant smoky taste. The removed smoke-infused        intact oysters were now subjected to the essential step of a        chill resting cycle at about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C. Thus the chilled resting cycle was at about 1 to        about 6 hours at about 1° C. to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused intact oysters which were prepared according to theabove-described method steps of the present invention including theessential step of the chill resting cycle were now subjected to anempirical test to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused intactoysters. It is found that such smoke-infused intact oysters weresurprisingly still alive, easily removable from their shells, had nosubstantial smoky aroma, had improved acceptably-mild smoky taste andhad improved preservation at ordinary refrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 11

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused intactoysters was modified for the production of smoke-infused intact hardshell clams (quahogs). The procedure is controlled to be carried out asfollows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: about 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused intact common hard shell clams (quahogs) preparedaccording to the above-described method of the present invention, aresurprisingly still alive, are easily removable from their shells, haveno substantial smoky aroma and have improved acceptably-mild smoky tasteand preservation at ordinary refrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 12

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infusedoysters is modified for the production of live, intact shell-onsmoke-infused razor clams is carried out. The procedure is controlled tobe carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused intact razor clams which have been prepared accordingto the above-described method steps of the present invention, aresurprisingly still live, may be easily removable from their shells andhave improved delicate smoke taste, smell and preservation at ordinaryrefrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 13

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infusedoysters is modified for the production of live, intact shell-onsmoke-infused mussels. The procedure is controlled to be carried out asfollows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: about 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting period: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused intact mussels prepared according to theabove-described method of the present invention, have no substantialsmoky aroma have improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and have improvedtaste and preservation at ordinary refrigeration temperature.

When the smoke infused intact mussels are encased in a vacuum bag,cooked and then frozen, and when they are thawed and removed from thevacuum bag, they may be easily removable from their shell.

EXAMPLE 14

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infusedoysters is modified for the production of smoke-infused adductor muscleof scallops. The procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: about 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting period: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused adductor muscle of the scallops prepared according tothe above-described method of the present invention, has no substantialsmoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and preservationat ordinary refrigeration temperature.

The method of aspect of this invention may be carried out withequally-effective results on at least all the bivalve mollusksspecifically-listed hereinabove.

EXAMPLE 15

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infusedoysters is modified for the production of smoke-infused muscle tissue ofabalone. The procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: about 150 to about 200 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused muscle tissue of abalones prepared according to theabove-described method of the present invention, has no substantialsmoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and preservationat ordinary refrigeration temperature.

The method of aspect of this invention may be carried out withequally-effective results on at least all the gastropod mollusksspecifically-listed hereinabove.

EXAMPLE 16

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infusedoysters is modified for the production of smoke-infused octopus meatfrom any part of the octopus. The procedure is controlled to be carriedout as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: about 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused octopus meat prepared according to the above-describedmethod of the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, hasimproved acceptably-mild smoky taste and enhanced preservation atordinary refrigeration temperature.

The method of aspect of this invention may be carried out withequally-effective results on at least all the cephalid mollusksspecifically-listed hereinabove.

EXAMPLE 17

Fish may be smoke-infused according to one embodiment of the method ofthe present invention. One example of the smoke-infusing method onArctic char which may be smoke-infused, according to this invention isnow described.

Pieces of the Arctic char or whole Arctic char, to be smoke-infused areplaced in desired proportions on trays within the interior of the vacuumvessel as previously described in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Thevacuum vessel is then sealed. The vacuum pump as previously defined wasoperated as previously defined to create a negative pressure within thevacuum-treating vessel of the order of about 26 inches of Hg to 29inches of Hg (from about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg), i.e., at ornearly at full vacuum. Smoke having an increased smoke content which hadbeen provided by the above-described recycling, and which was initiallyhad a smoke/air mixture moisture content of about 10% to about 50%, byweight was then admitted into the vacuum-treating vessel untilequilibrium was reached. Smoke introduction was then ceased andsubstantially simultaneously vacuum was applied. The smoke infusion tookplace at a suitable low temperature of e.g., about 4° C. for a time ofabout 2 to 20 seconds. This then removed smoke which had not beenperfused into the Arctic char to be smoke-infused was removed. Thissequence of method steps, i.e., introducing smoke into thevacuum-treating zone, and then removing the smoke was repeated 50 toabout 400 times, i.e., in pulsed sequences of smoke introductionstage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage which results in theefficient infusion of smoke into the Arctic char This pulsed sequencesof smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stagewas periodically repeated, as above noted, i.e., smoke introductionstage for about 1 to about 10 seconds, vacuum purging stage for about 5to about 30 seconds and vacuum release stage for about 1 to about 10seconds for about 50 to about 400 cycles. In order to remove thesmoke-infused Arctic char from the vacuum vessel fresh air wasintroduced to bring the vacuum vessel to atmospheric pressure.

The smoke-infused Arctic char was removed. An empirical test wasperformed to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused Arctic char.It was found that such Arctic char had a smoky acrid aroma and anunpleasant smoky taste.

Thus, the procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 26 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (from        about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   The removed smoke-infused Arctic char was subjected to the        additional essential step of a chilled resting cycle as        previously described in the cold room at a temperature of about        2° C. to about 6° C. for a period of about 6 hours. Thus, the        chilled resting cycle was about 1 to about 6 hours at about        2° C. to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused Arctic char which had been prepared by thesmoke-infusion method of an aspect of the present invention as describedabove and which included the above-described essential step of thechilled resting cycle as above specified was again subjected to theempirical test to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused Arcticchar. It was found that such Arctic char had no substantial smoky aroma,had improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and had improved preservationqualities.

EXAMPLE 18

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused Arcticchar is modified for the production of smoke-infused salmon. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused salmon prepared according to the above-describedmethod of the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, hasimproved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhanced preservation atordinary refrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 19

Pieces of trout or whole trout is/are subjected to the method of thepresent invention under modified method conditions for smoke infusingArctic char as previously described in detail. The procedure iscontrolled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused trout prepared according to the above-described methodof the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, has improvedacceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhanced preservation at ordinaryrefrigeration temperature

The method of aspect of this invention may be carried out withequally-effective results on at least all the fish specifically-listedhereinabove.

EXAMPLE 20

Various meats may be smoke-infused according to one embodiment of themethod of the present invention. One example of the smoke-infusingmethod on various meats is on beef brisket which may be smoke-infused,according to this invention is now described.

Pieces of the brisket to be smoke-infused are placed in desiredproportions on trays within the interior of the vacuum vessel aspreviously described in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The vacuumvessel is then sealed. The vacuum pump as previously defined wasoperated as previously defined to create a negative pressure within thevacuum-treating vessel of the order of about 26 inches of Hg to 29inches of Hg (from about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg), i.e., at ornearly at full vacuum. Smoke having an increased smoke content which hadbeen provided by the above-described recycling, and which was initiallyhad a smoke/air mixture moisture content of about 10% to about 50%, byweight was then admitted into the vacuum-treating vessel untilequilibrium was reached. Smoke introduction was then ceased andsubstantially simultaneously vacuum was applied. The smoke infusion tookplace at a suitable low temperature of e.g., about 4° C. for a time ofabout 2 to 20 seconds. This then removed smoke which had not beenperfused into the beef brisket to be smoke-infused was removed. Thissequence of method steps, i.e., introducing smoke into thevacuum-treating zone, and then removing the smoke was repeated 50 toabout 400 times, i.e., in pulsed sequences of smoke introductionstage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage which results in theefficient infusion of smoke into the beef brisket. This pulsed sequencesof smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stagewas periodically repeated, as above noted, i.e., smoke introductionstage for about 1 to about 10 seconds, vacuum purging stage for about 5to about 30 seconds and vacuum release stage for about 1 to about 10seconds for about 50 to about 400 cycles. In order to remove thesmoke-infused beef brisket from the vacuum vessel fresh air wasintroduced to bring the vacuum vessel to atmospheric pressure.

The smoke-infused beef brisket was removed. An empirical test wasperformed to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused beefbrisket. It was found that such beef brisket had a smoky acrid aroma andan unpleasant smoky taste.

Thus, the procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 26 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (from        about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   The removed smoke-infused beef brisket was subjected to the        additional essential step of a chilled resting cycle as        previously described in the cold room at a temperature of about        2° C. to about 6° C. for a period of about 6 hours. Thus, the        chilled resting cycle was about 1 to about 6 hours at about        2° C. to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused beef brisket which had been prepared by thesmoke-infusion method of an aspect of the present invention as describedabove and which included the above-described essential step of thechilled resting cycle as above specified was again subjected to theempirical test to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused beefbrisket. It was found that such beef brisket had no substantial smokyaroma, had improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and had improvedpreservation qualities.

EXAMPLE 21

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused beefbrisket is modified for the production of smoke-infused veal breast. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused veal breast prepared according to the above-describedmethod of the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, hasimproved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhanced preservation atordinary refrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 22

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused beefbrisket is modified for the production of smoke-infused ham. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused ham prepared according to the above-described methodof the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, has improvedacceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhanced preservation at ordinaryrefrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 23

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused beefbrisket is modified for the production of smoke-infused pork belly forthe production of pork bacon. The procedure is controlled to be carriedout as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused bacon prepared according to the above-described methodof the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, has improvedacceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhanced preservation at ordinaryrefrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 24

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused beefbrisket is modified for the production of smoke-infused minced porksausage meat, which includes minced pork, cereal and spices. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused minced pork sausage meat prepared according to theabove-described method of the present invention, has no substantialsmoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhancedpreservation at ordinary refrigeration temperatures.

In addition, sausages prepared from such smoke infused minced porksausage meat can be made into sausages having enhanced flavour with lesssalt therein.

EXAMPLE 25

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused beefbrisket is modified for the production of smoke-infused minced sheep orlamb meat. The procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused sheep or lamb minced meat prepared according to theabove-described method of the present invention, has no substantialsmoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhancedpreservation at ordinary refrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 26

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused beefbrisket is modified for the production of smoke-infused venison. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused venison prepared according to the above-describedmethod of the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, hasimproved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhanced preservation atordinary refrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 27

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused beefbrisket is modified for the production of smoke-infused goat short loin.The procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused goat short loin prepared according to theabove-described method of the present invention, has no substantialsmoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhancedpreservation at ordinary refrigeration temperature.

The method of aspects of this invention may be carried out withequally-effective results on at least all the meats specifically-listedhereinabove.

EXAMPLE 28

Poultry may be smoke-infused according to one embodiment of the methodof the present invention. One example of the smoke-infusing method ofpoultry is on turkey breast which may be smoke-infused, according tothis invention is now described.

Pieces of the turkey breast to be smoke-infused are placed in desiredproportions on trays within the interior of the vacuum vessel aspreviously described in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 The vacuumvessel is then sealed. The vacuum pump as previously defined wasoperated as previously defined to create a negative pressure within thevacuum-treating vessel of the order of about 26 inches of Hg to 29inches of Hg (from about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg), i.e., at ornearly at full vacuum. Smoke having an increased smoke content which hadbeen provided by the above-described recycling, and which was initiallyhad a smoke/air mixture moisture content of about 10% to about 50%, byweight was then admitted into the vacuum-treating vessel untilequilibrium was reached. Smoke introduction was then ceased andsubstantially simultaneously vacuum was applied. The smoke infusion tookplace at a suitable low temperature of e.g., about 4° C. for a time ofabout 2 to 20 seconds. This then removed smoke which had not beenperfused into the turkey breast to be smoke-infused was removed. Thissequence of method steps, i.e., introducing smoke into thevacuum-treating zone, and then removing the smoke was repeated 50 toabout 400 times, i.e., in pulsed sequences of smoke introductionstage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage which results in theefficient infusion of smoke into the turkey breast. This pulsedsequences of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuumrelease stage was periodically repeated, as above noted, i.e., smokeintroduction stage for about 1 to about 10 seconds, vacuum purging stagefor about 5 to about 30 seconds and vacuum release stage for about 1 toabout 10 seconds for about 50 to about 400 cycles. In order to removethe smoke-infused turkey breast from the vacuum vessel fresh air wasintroduced to bring the vacuum vessel to atmospheric pressure.

The smoke-infused turkey breast was removed. An empirical test wasperformed to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused turkeybreast. It was found that such turkey breast had a smoky acrid aroma andan unpleasant smoky taste.

Thus, the procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 26 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (from        about 670 mm of Hg to about 735 mm Hg)    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   The removed smoke-infused turkey breast was subjected to the        additional essential step of a chilled resting cycle as        previously described in the cold room at a temperature of about        2° C. to about 6° C. for a period of about 6 hours. Thus, the        chilled resting cycle was about 1 to about 6 hours at about        2° C. to about 6° C.

The smoke-infused turkey breast which had been prepared by thesmoke-infusion method of an aspect of the present invention as describedabove and which included the above-described essential step of thechilled resting cycle as above specified was again subjected to theempirical test to assess the odor and taste of the smoke-infused turkeybreast. It was found that such turkey breast had no substantial smokyaroma, had improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and had improvedpreservation qualities.

EXAMPLE 29

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused turkeybreast is modified for the production of smoke-infused chicken drumsticks. The procedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused chicken drum sticks prepared according to theabove-described method of the present invention, has no substantialsmoky aroma, has improved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhancedpreservation at ordinary refrigeration temperature.

EXAMPLE 30

The method as described above for the production of smoke-infused turkeybreast is modified for the production of smoke-infused duck thighs. Theprocedure is controlled to be carried out as follows:

-   -   Vacuum: about 20 inches of Hg to about 29 inches of Hg (about        515 mm Hg to about 735 mm Hg).    -   Smoke in: smoke introduction for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Vacuum pulse for about 5 to about 30 seconds    -   Vacuum release for about 1 to about 10 seconds    -   Number of cycles: 50 to about 400 cycles    -   Chilled resting cycle: about 1 to about 6 hours at about 1° C.        to about 6° C.

The smoke infused duck thighs prepared according to the above-describedmethod of the present invention, has no substantial smoky aroma, hasimproved acceptably-mild smoky taste and has enhanced preservation atordinary refrigeration temperature.

The method of aspect of this invention may be carried out withequally-effective results on all the poultry specifically-listedhereinabove.

CONCLUSION

There are many commercial-advantages of carrying out the methods ofaspects of the present invention. Such advantages include: suchsmoke-infused proteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses, crustaceans, bivalvemollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meats and poultry prepared by themethods of the present invention are able to attain a maximized value inmarket places distant to their point of origin, where the perceivedvalue of such smoke-infused proteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses,crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meats andpoultry is highest and thus to attain higher levels of pricing than istraditionally available as commodity processors and thereby an enhancedability to return more economic advantage to such smoke-infusedproteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses, crustaceans, bivalve mollusks,gastropod mollusks, fish, meats and poultry resource; such smoke-infusedcrustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meats andpoultry processing communities are able to compete with and potentiallydisplace sales of live such smoke-infused crustaceans, bivalve mollusks,gastropod mollusks, and fish and thereby reduce high costs of live (andfrozen) shipping (often by air carriers) and in-transit mortalities(referred to as shrinkage) which is generally recognized within theindustry often to exceed 8% in commercial supply chain situations; thatthe market place is able to receive a consistent and year-round supplyof the such crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks and fishand thereby provide a year-round and consistent product offering to thecustomer base with reduced pricing volatility; the ability of theprocessors of such smoke-infused proteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses,crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meats andpoultry to provide smoke-infused such smoke-infused proteinaceous foods,e.g., cheeses, crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish,meats and poultry to the world market which can be produced on a massprocessing scale and thereby supply mass market (both retail and foodservice) demands, which is a capacity that has not heretofore beenachieved as methods for rapid and acceptable reconstitution of suchsmoke-infused proteinaceous foods, e.g., cheeses, crustaceans, bivalvemollusks, gastropod mollusks, fish, meats and poultry have not beendeveloped; the methods provide for the removal of the meat of thesmoke-infused crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, and gastropod mollusks fromtheir shells, whether they are cooked from the frozen-thawed status orfrom smoke-infused frozen-thawed status from the shell with avoidance ofmeat adhesion to the shell material, which is particularly typicallyassociated with cold water clawed lobsters that have been frozen fromlive status, and thereby, the end-user is able to consume thesmoke-infused cold water clawed lobsters with satisfaction anduser-friendliness which is necessarily associated with its relative highcost and value perception; and the marketplace is able to receive aconsistent and year-round supply of the smoke-infused crustaceans,bivalve mollusks and gastropod mollusks and thereby to provide ayear-round and consistent product offering to the customer base withreduced pricing volatility.

The claims, and the language used therein are to be understood in termsof the variants of the invention which have been described. They are notto be restricted to such variants, but are to be read as covering thefull scope of the invention as is implicit within the invention and thedisclosure that has been provided herein.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for smoke infusing cheesecomprising the steps of: (A) introducing cheese into an enclosablesmoke-infusing zone; (B) repeatedly cycling said enclosablesmoke-infusing zone with a plurality of smoke-infusing cycles, each saidsmoke-infusing cycle comprising the steps of: a) converting saidenclosable smoke-infusing zone into an enclosed smoke-infusing zone, andthen pulling a vacuum on said enclosed smoke-infusing zone to convertsaid enclosed smoke-infusing zone to an enclosed vacuum smoke-infusingzone, b) flowing smoke at atmospheric pressure, or at above atmosphericpressure, from a smoke generation/providing zone into said enclosedvacuum smoke-infusing zone, thereby substantially filling said enclosedvacuum smoke-infusing zone with said smoke, c) terminating said flow ofsaid smoke into said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone; d) providing atime for each flow of said smoke into said enclosed vacuumsmoke-infusing zone in the range of between about 5 seconds and about 7seconds, e) repeating steps a)-d) between a range of about 360 to about400 cycles to produce cheese which is smoke-infused; (C) releasing thevacuum in said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone by admitting ambientpressure air into said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone, whereby saidenclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone is brought to a state of ambient airpressure, and residual smoke remaining in said enclosed vacuumsmoke-infusing zone is expelled from said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusingzone, (D) withdrawing said smoke-infused cheese from said vacuumsmoke-infusing zone, which is now in a state of ambient air pressure,and (E) subjecting said withdrawn smoke-infused cheese to a chilledresting cycle in a cold zone, at a suitable low temperature of betweenabout 0° C. to about 4° C. and for a suitable period of time betweenabout 1-10 hours, thereby to provide smoke-infused cheese.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein said step of flowing said smoke from said smokegeneration/providing zone into said vacuum smoke-infusing zonecomprises: i) providing a smoke holding/accumulation zone; ii)introducing smoke from said smoke generation/providing zone into saidsmoke holding/accumulation zone; and iii) flowing said smoke from saidsmoke holding/accumulation zone into said vacuum smoke infusing zonethereby, to increase the concentration of smoke in said smokeholding/accumulation zone.
 3. The method of claim 2, including the stepsof, (iv) recycling smoke from said smoke holding/accumulation zone backinto a conventional air inlet to said smoke generation/providing zone,thereby to provide concentrated smoke in said smoke holding/accumulationzone; and (v) introducing said concentrated smoke from said smokeholding/accumulation zone into said vacuum smoke-infusing zone, therebyto increases the infusion of said smoke into said cheese.
 4. The methodof claim 2 wherein residual smoke remaining in said vacuumsmoke-infusing zone is expelled by being flushed into a connectable,residual smoke retention zone, and sealing said connectable smokeretention zone, and thus trapping said residual smoke in saidconnectable smoke retention zone, whereby said trapped residual smokewithin said residual smoke retention zone is capable of beingre-introduced into said vacuum smoke-infusing zone.
 5. The method ofclaim 2, wherein a negative pressure in said vacuum smoke-infusing zoneis in the range of about 22 inches of Hg to 29 inches of Hg.
 6. Themethod of claim 5, wherein said negative pressure in said vacuumsmoke-infusing zone is about 29 inches of Hg.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the flow of said smoke is by smoke injection pulses.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said method is carried out at ambient roomtemperature.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said smoke in step b) isat atmospheric pressure.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said smokehas a moisture content of about 10% to about 50% by weight.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, wherein said smoke has a moisture content of about35% by weight.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the smoke has aconcentration of up to about 50% by weight.
 13. The method of claim 12,wherein the concentration of smoke is about 35% by weight.
 14. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said suitable low temperature of said chilledresting cycle in a dry cold zone is between about 2° C. and about 4° C.15. The method of claim 14, wherein said suitable temperature for saidchilled resting cycle is about 3° C.
 16. The method of claim 1, andwherein said chilled resting cycle is performed for between about 6 andabout 10 hours.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said chilled restingcycle is performed for about 8 hours.
 18. The method of claim 1, whereinthe number of cycles is 380, and thus the total time of said smokeinfusion cycling procedure to produce said smoke-infused cheese is about38 minutes.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein said cheese is one of thefollowing cheeses: Acapella, Banan, Bergere Blue, Brick, Capriole,Cheddar, Cojack, Colby, Colby-Jack, Cold Pack, Cougar Gold, Crowley,Chevre, Farmer, Fresh Jack, Blue Cow, Fog, Goatster, Monterey Jack,Muenster, Marble Cheddar, Mascarpone, Pepper Jack, Provel Swiss,Gruyere, Fontina, Lunenburg, Colija, Regganete, Sarde, Beauvoords,Brussels Kaas, Bruges, Herve, Limburger, Maredsous, Passendale, Plateaude Herve, Postel, Prince-jean, Remedou, Rubens, Caerphilly, Cheshire,Derby, Double Gloucester, Lancashire, Red Lancashire, Red WindsorStilton Dorset Blue Vinney, Hertford Hop, Leafield, LincolnshirePoacher, Llanglofan Farmhouse, Malvern, Penryn, Pencarreg, Sage Derby,Shropshire Blue, Basing, Bath, Beenleigh Blue, Berkswell, Bosworth,Buffalo, Button (Innes), Buxton Blue, Capricorn Goat, Cerney,Coquetdale, Cornish Pepper, Clotherstone, Coverdale, Curworthy, DenhanyDorset Drum, Devon Blue, Devon Garland, Double Worcester, Dudleswell,Emlett, Exmoor Blue, Finn, Flower Marie, Friesla, Gloucester, GoldenCross, Gospel Green, Harbourne Blue, Herriot Farmhouse, Lancashire,Leicester, Little Ridings, Lodiswell Avondale, Longhorn, MenallackFarmhouse, Northumberland, Olde York, Oxford Blue, Red Leicester,Sharpam, Somerset Blue, Spenwood, Staffordshire, Stinking Bishop,Sussex, Slipcote, Swandale, Tala, Tymsboro, Tyning, Vulscombe, Waterloo,Wellington, Wensleydale, White Stilton, Wigmore Yorkshire Blue Havarti,Mozzarella, Parmesan, Rackette, Oka, Castello Cream Danablu, Danbo,Esrom, Fynbo, Tilsit-Havarti, Maribo, Mycella, Saga, Somsoe, Abbaye deBelloc, Abbaye de Citeau, Abbaye de Mont des Cats, Abundance, Affideliceau Chablis, Aisy Cendre, Ambert, Amid du Chambertin, Anneau du Vie-bilh,Ardi Gasna, Aromes au Gene de Marc, Aubisque Pyrenees, Autun, Babybel,Baguette Lyonnaise, Banon, Beaufort, Bethmale des Pyrenees, BlueAuverbne, Blue de Gex, Blue de Laqueuille, Blue de Septmongel, Blue deTermignon Alpage, Blue des Causes, Blue de Termignon, Bougon, Boule duRoyes, Boulette d'Avesnes, Boursault, Boursin, Bouyssou, Brebis duLavort, Brebis du Loehois, Brebis du Puyfaucon, Bres Bleu, Brie, Brie duPoivre, Brie de Meaux, Brie de Melon, Brillat-Savarin, Brin, Brind'dAmour, Briquette de Brebis, Briquette du Farez, Broccio, BroccioDemi-Affine, Brouse du Rove, Buchette d'Anjou, Butte, Cabecou,Cachaille, Calenzana, Camembert, Cantle, Caprice des Dieux, Carredel'Est, Cathelain, Cendre d'Olivet, Chabichou, Chabichou du Poitou,Chabis de Gatins, Chaource, Charolais, Chaumes, Chevrotin des Aravis,Civray, Couer de Camembert au Calvados, Couer de Chevres, Compte,Coulommiers, Crayeux, Crotin de Chavignol, Cure Nantais, Dauphin,Delices des Fiouves, Dreux a la Feuille, Emental Grand Cm, Epoisses deBourgogne, Esbareich, Etorki, Explorateur, Figue, Filetta,fin-de-Siecle, Fleur du Maquis, Fondant de Brebis, Fougerus, Fourmed'Ambert, Fourme de Haute Loire, Forme de Montbrison, Frinault, Fromagea Racklette, Fromage Corse, Fromage de Montagne de Savois, FromasgeFrais, Galette du Paluder, Galette Lyonais, Gaperon a l'Ail,Gastanberra, Goutu, Geand Vatel, Gratarond'Areches, Grate-Paille,Grueilh, Gris de Lille, Guerbigny, Ile d'Yeu, L'Aveyronnais, L'Ecir deL'aubrae, La Taupiniere, La Vache Qui Rit, Languiole, Langres, Laruns,La Brin, Le Fium Orbo, La Lacandou, Le Roule, Linguit Saint Bousquetd'Orb, Livarot, Lou Palou, Lou Poirvre, Lyonais, Macconais, Mamirole,Margoyin, Maroilles, Mascares, Matocq, Meyyon (Cancoillotte), Mimolette,Mixte, Mont d'Or Lyonais, Morbier, Morbier Cm Demontagner, Mothais,Munster, Murol, Nantais, Neufchatel, Niolo, Olivet au Foin, Olivet Blue,Olivet Cendre, Ossau Fermier, Ossau-Iraty, P'tit Berrichon, Palet deBabligny, Pas de l'Escalette, Pate de Fromager, Patefine Fort, Paved'Affinois, Pave d'aAuge, Pave de Chirac, Pave du Berry, Pelardon desCorbieres, Perail de Brebis, Petit Morin, Petir Pardou, Petit-Suisse,Picodon de Chévre, Pithtviers au Foin, Poivre d'Ane, Pont d'Evêque, PortSalut, Pouligny Saint-Pierre, Poorly, Pyramide, Quatre-Vents, QuercyPetit, Raclette, Reblochon, Régal de la Dombes, Rigotte, Rocamadour,Rollot, Romans l'Art Dieu, Roquefort, Roule, Rouleau de Beaulieu,Sustin, Saint Maure, Saint-Marcellin, Saint-Nectaire, Saint-Paulin,Salers, Sancerre, Selles Sur Cher, Soumaintrain, Sourire, Tamie,Taupiniere, Tome Brulée, Tome d'Abondance, Tome de Romans, Tome deSavoie, Tome des Chouans, Tomes, Tommes l'Aubier, Tourmalet, Trappe(Véritable), Trios Comes de Vendée, Trou du Cm, Tuffe, Valencay, Venaco,Vendômois, Vieux Corse Vignette, Lappi Finlandia, Algauer Emmentaler,Bavarian Bierkasse, Bergader, Bruder Basil, Butterkasse, Cambazola,Doppelrhamstufel, Edelpilz, Jermi Tortes, Klosterkasse, Quark, TilsitWeichkasse, Boeren, Edam, Friesian, Gouda, Kernhem, Leerdammer, Leyden,Maasdam, Mimolette Commissickaas, Ardrham, Baylough, Blarney, BlueTathgore, Cashel Blue, Coolea, Corleggy Cooleney, Corleggy, Crogham,Doolin, Dubliner, Dunbarra, Durus, Gabriel, Gubbeen, Knockalara,Lavistown, Mine-Gabhar, Oral, Asiago, Bel Paese, Bocconcini, Bra,Caciocavallo, Caciotta, Canestrato, Casciotta di Urbano, Castelmagno,Cerescenza, Dolcette, Fiore Sardo, Fontal, Fontina Val d'Aosta, Fontina,Formagio di Capra, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Truffles Gorgonzola, Grana, GranPadano, Ilboschetto al Tartufo, Mascarpone, Mascarpone Torta, Montasio,Mozzarella, Mozzarella, di Bufala, Mozzarella, Rolla, Parmesan,Provolone, Ricotta Romano, Pannerone, Parmesan (Parmigiano), ParmigianoReggiano, Recorino, Pecorino, in Walnut Leaves, Pecorino Romano,Pressato, Provolone, Quartirolo Lombardaro, Ragusano, Raschera, Ricotta,Ricotta Salata, Romano, Scamorza, Sottocenare al Tartufo, Taleggio,Toma, Toscanello, Ubriaco, Zanetti Gran Padano, Zanrtti ParmigianoReggino, Airdale, Barry's Bay Cheddar, Evansdale Farmhouse, Four HerbGouda, Hipiiti, Jubilee Blue, Kikorangi, Mahoe Meyer Vintage gouda, PortNicholson, Waimata Farmhouse Blue Whitestone Farmhouse, Gamalost,Geitost, Jarlsberg Norvegia, Galost, Nikkelost Riddler Koldemer,Labelsta, Marski, Pomski Pudlasker, Kkurprank, Afuega'l Pitu, Aragon,Burgos, Cabralescastellano, Castigliano, Cuajada, Flor de Guia,Garrotsa, Iberico, Idiazabel, Manchego, Menonita, Penamellera, Picos deEuropa, Queso de Murcia, Queso del Montsec, Queso del Tietar, QuesoIberico, Queso Majorero, Requeson, San Simon, Selva, Tetilla, TortaDelcesar, Tronchon, Tupi, Ulloa Zamorano, Swedish Farmers, SwedishFontina, Adelost, Graddost, Greve, Herrgardost, Hushhallsost, Messot,Prastost, Saaland Pfarr, Sveciaost Vasterbottenost, Appenzell,Emmenthal, Fribourgeouse, Neufchatel, Piora, Royal Tilsit, Saanenkaese,Sap Sago, Sbrinz, Schabzeiger, Tete de Moine, and Vacherin.
 20. Themethod of claim 19, wherein said cheese is Cheddar, Colby, Swiss,Gruyere, Brick, Farmer's, Havarti, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Havarti, Edam,Gouda, Emmenthal, Romano, Dubliner, or Jarlsberg.
 21. A method ofpreparing a vacuum pack of smoke-infused cheese which comprises carryingout the method of claim 1 and, including the further steps of: i) vacuumsealing said smoke-infused cheese in a sealable pouch, while resting ona suitable tray; and ii) enclosing said vacuum sealed pouch within asuitable package enclosure, said package being provided with suitableopening means for removal of said vacuum sealed pouch from said packageenclosure.
 22. The method of claim 21, comprising selecting saidsealable pouch, as a microwavable pouch.
 23. The method of claim 21,wherein said cheese is one of the following cheeses: Acapella, Banan,Bergere Blue, Brick, Capriole, Cheddar, Cojack, Colby, Colby-Jack, ColdPack, Cougar Gold, Crowley, Chevre, Farmer, Fresh Jack, Blue Cow, Fog,Goatster, Monterey Jack, Muenster, Marble Cheddar, Mascarpone, PepperJack, Provel Swiss, Gruyere, Fontina, Lunenburg, Colija, Regganete,Sarde, Beauvoords, Brussels Kaas, Bruges, Herve, Limburger, Maredsous,Passendale, Plateau de Herve, Postel, Prince-jean, Remedou, Rubens,Caerphilly, Cheshire, Derby, Double Gloucester, Lancashire, RedLancashire, Red Windsor Stilton Dorset Blue Vinney, Hertford Hop,Leafield, Lincolnshire Poacher, Llanglofan Farmhouse, Malvern, Penryn,Pencarreg, Sage Derby, Shropshire Blue, Basing, Bath, Beenleigh Blue,Berkswell, Bosworth, Buffalo, Button (Innes), Buxton Blue, CapricornGoat, Cerney, Coquetdale, Cornish Pepper, Clotherstone, Coverdale,Curworthy, Denhany Dorset Drum, Devon Blue, Devon Garland, DoubleWorcester, Dudleswell, Emlett, Exmoor Blue, Finn, Flower Marie, Friesla,Gloucester, Golden Cross, Gospel Green, Harbourne Blue, HerriotFarmhouse, Lancashire, Leicester, Little Ridings, Lodiswell Avondale,Longhorn, Menallack Farmhouse, Northumberland, Olde York, Oxford Blue,Red Leicester, Sharpam, Somerset Blue, Spenwood, Staffordshire, StinkingBishop, Sussex, Slipcote, Swandale, Tala, Tymsboro, Tyning, Vulscombe,Waterloo, Wellington, Wensleydale, White Stilton, Wigmore Yorkshire BlueHavarti, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Rackette, Oka, Castello Cream Danablu,Danbo, Esrom, Fynbo, Tilsit-Havarti, Maribo, Mycella, Saga, Somsoe,Abbaye de Belloc, Abbaye de Citeau, Abbaye de Mont des Cats, Abundance,Affidelice au Chablis, Aisy Cendre, Ambert, Amid du Chambertin, Anneaudu Vie-bilh, Ardi Gasna, Aromes au Gene de Marc, Aubisque Pyrenees,Autun, Babybel, Baguette Lyonnaise, Banon, Beaufort, Bethmale desPyrenees, Blue Auverbne, Blue de Gex, Blue de Laqueuille, Blue deSeptmongel, Blue de Termignon Alpage, Blue des Causes, Blue deTermignon, Bougon, Boule du Royes, Boulette d'Avesnes, Boursault,Boursin, Bouyssou, Brebis du Lavort, Brebis du Loehois, Brebis duPuyfaucon, Bres Bleu, Brie, Brie du Poivre, Brie de Meaux, Brie deMelon, Brillat-Savarin, Brin, Brind'd Amour, Briquette de Brebis,Briquette du Farez, Broccio, Broccio Demi-Affine, Brouse du Rove,Buchette d'Anjou, Butte, Cabecou, Cachaille, Calenzana, Camembert,Cantle, Caprice des Dieux, Carre del'Est, Cathelain, Cendre d'Olivet,Chabichou, Chabichou du Poitou, Chabis de Gatins, Chaource, Charolais,Chaumes, Chevrotin des Aravis, Civray, Couer de Camembert au Calvados,Couer de Chevres, Compte, Coulommiers, Crayeux, Crotin de Chavignol,Cure Nantais, Dauphin, Delices des Fiouves, Dreux a la Feuille, EmentalGrand Cm, Epoisses de Bourgogne, Esbareich, Etorki, Explorateur, Figue,Filetta, fin-de-Siecle, Fleur du Maquis, Fondant de Brebis, Fougerus,Fourme d'Ambert, Fourme de Haute Loire, Forme de Montbrison, Frinault,Fromage a Racklette, Fromage Corse, Fromage de Montagne de Savois,Fromasge Frais, Galette du Paluder, Galette Lyonais, Gaperon a l'Ail,Gastanberra, Goutu, Geand Vatel, Gratarond'Areches, Grate-Paille,Grueilh, Gris de Lille, Guerbigny, Ile d'Yeu, L'Aveyronnais, L'Ecir deL'aubrae, La Taupiniere, La Vache Qui Rit, Languiole, Langres, Laruns,La Brin, Le Fium Orbo, La Lacandou, Le Roule, Linguit Saint Bousquetd'Orb, Livarot, Lou Palou, Lou Poirvre, Lyonais, Macconais, Mamirole,Margoyin, Maroilles, Mascares, Matocq, Meyyon (Cancoillotte), Mimolette,Mixte, Mont d'Or Lyonais, Morbier, Morbier Cm Demontagner, Mothais,Munster, Murol, Nantais, Neufchatel, Niolo, Olivet au Foin, Olivet Blue,Olivet Cendre, Ossau Fermier, Ossau-Iraty, P'tit Berrichon, Palet deBabligny, Pas de l'Escalette, Pate de Fromager, Patefine Fort, Paved'Affinois, Pave d'aAuge, Pave de Chirac, Pave du Berry, Pelardon desCorbieres, Perail de Brebis, Petit Morin, Petir Pardou, Petit-Suisse,Picodon de Chévre, Pithtviers au Foin, Poivre d'Ane, Pont l'Evêque, PortSalut, Pouligny Saint-Pierre, Poorly, Pyramide, Quatre-Vents, QuercyPetit, Raclette, Reblochon, Regal de la Dombes, Rigotte, Rocamadour,Rollot, Romans l'Art Dieu, Roquefort, Roule, Rouleau de Beaulieu,Sustin, Saint Maure, Saint-Marcellin, Saint-Nectaire, Saint-Paulin,Salers, Sancerre, Selles Sur Cher, Soumaintrain, Sourire, Tamie,Taupiniere, Tome Brulée, Tome d'Abondance, Tome de Romans, Tome deSavoie, Tome des Chouans, Tomes, Tommes l'Aubier, Tourmalet, Trappe(Véritable), Trios Comes de Vendée, Trou du Cru, Tuffe, Valencay,Venaco, Vendômois, Vieux Corse Vignette, Lappi Finlandia, AlgauerEmmentaler, Bavarian Bierkasse, Bergader, Bruder Basil, Butterkasse,Cambazola, Doppelrhamstufel, Edelpilz, Jermi Tortes, Klosterkasse,Quark, Tilsit Weichkasse, Boeren, Edam, Friesian, Gouda, Kernhem,Leerdammer, Leyden, Maasdam, Mimolette Commissickaas, Ardrham, Baylough,Blarney, Blue Tathgore, Cashel Blue, Coolea, Corleggy Cooleney,Corleggy, Crogham, Doolin, Dubliner, Dunbarra, Durus, Gabriel, Gubbeen,Knockalara, Lavistown, Mine-Gabhar, Oral, Asiago, Bel Paese, Bocconcini,Bra, Caciocavallo, Caciotta, Canestrato, Casciotta di Urbano,Castelmagno, Cerescenza, Dolcette, Fiore Sardo, Fontal, Fontina Vald'Aosta, Fontina, Formagio di Capra, Mozzarella, Ricotta, TrufflesGorgonzola, Grana, Gran Padano, Ilboschetto al Tartufo, Mascarpone,Mascarpone Torta, Montasio, Mozzarella, Mozzarella, di Bufala,Mozzarella, Rolla, Parmesan, Provolone, Ricotta Romano, Pannerone,Parmesan (Parmigiano), Parmigiano Reggiano, Recorino, Pecorino, inWalnut Leaves, Pecorino Romano, Pressato, Provolone, QuartiroloLombardaro, Ragusano, Raschera, Ricotta, Ricotta Salata, Romano,Scamorza, Sottocenare al Tartufo, Taleggio, Toma, Toscanello, Ubriaco,Zanetti Gran Padano, Zanrtti Parmigiano Reggino, Airdale, Barry's BayCheddar, Evansdale Farmhouse, Four Herb Gouda, Hipiiti, Jubilee Blue,Kikorangi, Mahoe Meyer Vintage gouda, Port Nicholson, Waimata FarmhouseBlue Whitestone Farmhouse, Gamalost, Geitost, Jarlsberg Norvegia,Galost, Nikkelost Riddler Koldemer, Labelsta, Marski, Pomski Pudlasker,Kkurprank, Afuega'l Pitu, Aragon, Burgos, Cabralescastellano,Castigliano, Cuajada, Flor de Guia, Garrotsa, Iberico, Idiazabel,Manchego, Menonita, Penamellera, Picos de Europa, Queso de Murcia, Quesodel Montsec, Queso del Tietar, Queso Iberico, Queso Majorero, Requeson,San Simon, Selva, Tetilla, Torta Delcesar, Tronchon, Tupi, UlloaZamorano, Swedish Farmers, Swedish Fontina, Adelost, Graddost, Greve,Herrgardost, Hushhallsost, Messot, Prastost, Saaland Pfarr, SveciaostVasterbottenost, Appenzell, Emmenthal, Fribourgeouse, Neufchatel, Piora,Royal Tilsit, Saanenkaese, Sap Sago, Sbrinz, Schabzeiger, Tete de Moine,and Vacherin.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the cheese is Cheddar,Colby, Swiss, Gruyere, Brick, Farmer's, Havarti, Mozzarella, Parmesan,Havarti, Edam, Gouda, Emmenthal, Romano, Dubliner, or Jarlsberg.